Obituary of Michael Louis Trani

Michael Louis Trani was born September 16, 1943 in Brooklyn, NY to Michael Trani and Gilberta May Trani (VanSchaffel). He departed this life in the early morning of October 1, 2021. He was the first born grandson to his paternal grandparents and was loved beyond measure. When he was three and WWII was over his mother went to live in Newark, NY as she had recently had another child. He and his mother were gravely injured in a car accident. He had a severe fractured skull. His mother and sister and he moved back to Brooklyn until he was six. He started his school years in Elkhart, IN. While there he had many playmates and began an interest in baseball and other sports. He was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout. The family moved to Gary, IN when his second sister was three and his mother pregnant with his brother Martin. Following his confirmation he became an acolyte at Christ Episcopal Church. In the summer of his eleventh year he developed Rheumatic Fever and was forced to spend the entire summer inside which provided an early start to his distrust of anything medical. He attended Willowdale Grade School in Elkhart, Emerson and Wm. A. Wirt High School in Gary, IN and graduated in 1961. In his older years he went often to class reunions and kept in contact with many of his high school friends. Mike had a wonderful love, hate relationship with cars. He had several friends who he devoted many hours helping. His first job was at the American Bridge Company in Gary and he lived there a few years after his parents moved to Philadelphia. In 1965 he joined the Marine Reserve and served until 1972. He moved to Philly in 1967 and worked, first as an insurance agent and then as a truck driver for Glasco in Glenside, PA. His father died in 1978 and he then worked for yet another trucking company until about 1988 when his mother relocated to Skaneateles, NY. Mike had an incredibly tender heart and loved his cats and all his sisters' dogs. His cat Hickory died in January and his heart was broken. He suffered from several illnesses which in the end caused him great discomfort. He suffered a broken hip on July 25, 2021 and never recovered. He is survived by two sisters: Mary Jane and Margaret Ann Lowell. His younger brother Martin died in 2002. The death of his beloved mother in March 2017 troubled him greatly. He asked for her often while he was in hospital. He leaves a brother-in-law, Jonathan Lowell, M.D.; his nieces: Jane Ann Lowell, M.D. (Derek Poirier), Julie Lowell, Ph.D.(Tim Collins), Suzanne Marchelewicz (Paul) and Sara Dunn (Patrick); and one nephew, Sean Trani (Somer); and nine grand-nephews; and five grand-nieces. He is also survived by four loving dogs: Stella, Sarge, Thunder and Thor. He was a difficult man but he was honest and brave and caring, especially for animals. He will be thought of and loved for the rest of our lives. A Private Service was held for his family. Memorials may be remembered to Toys for Tots at Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Gift Processing Administrator, 18251 Quantico Gateway Drive, Triangle, VA 22172.