Michael Albert Ambrose

We are celebrating the life of Michael Albert Ambrose, a loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. So who was Mike, or Mikey as his parents and Rita would call him? He was so much to so many.

Mike loved his wife Rita above all others. Rita was the joy of his life and making Rita happy was one of his greatest pleasures. They were married for 66 years and they did everything together. He loved her endlessly and made her feel it everyday. Just last week he was thrilled to see her and whispered, “Rita…my wife.” They held hands until she left. Anyone who knew Rita in her prime knows that her passion was shopping. Mike was her willing accomplice and patiently ferried her to Central Avenue, Yonkers, and her beloved Macy’s in Parkchester in the Bronx.

He was a father to Michele and Michael and a father-in-law to Ray, the best father, giving them advice but allowing them to make their own decisions. They have wonderful memories of him helping with homework, taking them to the beach, catching a foul ball at a Yankee game after which he sat down quietly and whispered, “that hurt.” Michele remembers being in the car with him when the brakes went out on Fordham Road in the Bronx. He calmly coasted down the hill making it through every single green light and pulling into Sears parking lot. He was there to support them when they got sick or when Michele failed her road test without ever pulling out of the parking space. His son Michael remembers driving with him to Queens College in the morning and then in later years driving with him to Manhattan when he started working in NYC. He also has memories of his dad buying him new tropical fish for his aquarium.

So happy to have another little girl to love, he was grandfather to Devon. Devon has fond memories of him bringing a new freshly painted wishbone every visit (yes he had a wishbone collection). They bonded over their mutual love of Jelly Belly jelly beans. She remembers him proudly bringing over his Marine Service “A” uniform one day and having her pose with it on the front lawn. It was heavy! They played Dominoes, did puzzles, and read the Funnies. He was the best grandfather.

He was a friend, keeping the same friends throughout his lifetime from the time they were 15 years old until their passing. He met all of his lifetime friends when he moved to East Harlem on 104th Street in 1941. Seven of those friends became groomsmen at Mike and Rita’s wedding. Whether friends from his old neighborhood in the Bronx or the senior living facilities he resided at in Lake Mary, Mike cherished each and every friendship more than words can say.

He lived a simple life but he did have many passions. He was a voracious reader. He and Michele took an Evelyn Woods speed-reading class together in the 70s and then he challenged her to see who could read the most books in a week. He loved all music. He dabbled with the flute and keyboard. He was always drumming, whistling, singing, or tapping some tunes. Johnny Mathis was his favorite but that did not stop him from borrowing Doobie Brothers or Van Halen albums. He was on a bowling league with his buddies for many years and happily tallied the scores, since he was good with numbers. Mike had an analytical mind and the ability to add columns of numbers or do a Sodoku puzzle within minutes. Photography was a hobby he greatly enjoyed. He owned numerous cameras and had all the photos to prove it. His favorite subjects to photograph were his family and he loved to look at those photos and reminisce about fun times.

Mike loved this country and knew everything and anything about American History. He was proud to have served as a member of the Marine Corps, joining in 1945 during WWII. He trained in South Carolina and then North Carolina. He first traveled to the Hawaiian Islands where he was a Machine Gun Operator. He then spent some time in Guam as a Gunner. At the end of 1945, he served in China for 10 months. Once out of the Marines, he used his GI bill to attend drafting school to become a mechanical drafter. He ended up working for Century Projection as a mechanical draftsman for 9 years and then for the Board of Education as an assistant mechanical engineer for 28 years until he retired in 1994. It was at Century Projection where he developed his love for photography.

Mike would always say, “kindness matters.” He said it, meant it, and always lived by it, helping out complete strangers in need on numerous occasions, always wearing that wonderful, contagious smile on his face.

He will be sorely missed by so many but we know he will be watching over us until we meet again. Zarcanyon Zork dearest father. You will remain in our hearts forever.