Michael John DelVerne

Michael John DelVerne, age 84, of Sylvania, Ohio, passed away in hospice care on July 8, 2025, after a brief and courageous battle with cancer.

Born on February 12, 1941, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Michael was the beloved son of John and Concetta DelVerne. In 1961 he moved to Toledo, Ohio, where a fateful job at Kresge’s Five and Dime changed the course of his life. It was there he met his future wife and lifelong partner, Mary Jane (MJ) DelVerne. The two were married on August 14, 1965, at Gesu Catholic Church, beginning a love story that spanned nearly 60 years.

Michael is survived by Mary Jane and their five children: Andrea Hubler (Tom), Mark DelVerne (Stacy), Jim DelVerne (Kristi), Teresa Robes (Robbie), and Jeff DelVerne (Shannon). A devoted family man, Michael poured his heart into raising his children and was a constant, joyful presence in the lives of his 18 grandchildren: Michael, Amanda, Will, Kaite, Nick, Drew, Nikki, Lily (Luke), Olivia, Ella, Allie, Mia, John, Colt (deceased), Emma, Anna, Sophia, and Rachel. Few things brought him more pride than cheering them on in sports, music, theater, and life.

Michael accepted Jesus as his savior and had a deep love for his Catholic faith. He and Mary Jane were very involved with their church families at St. Joseph Sylvania and St. Pius X (prior to their move to Sylvania). 

Michael lived life fully and generously. He passed on his deep appreciation for sports, the arts, and travel to his children and grandchildren. He and MJ created decades of cherished memories through family trips across the U.S. and Europe. From annual winter ski vacations to Boyne Highlands and spring breaks in Florida, to regional getaways with dear college friends and extended family journeys abroad, Michael believed in adventure and togetherness.

An avid golfer and passionate college sports fan, Michael loved organizing tailgates and sharing the camaraderie of game days. He and MJ never missed an opportunity to bring people together. He had a gift of charisma, and he could talk to anyone. He had a way of making them all feel special and important. From the head of a company to the cashiers at the local gas station and grocery store, he made them all friends and would find common ground to connect with them. He loved to tell stories and was so incredibly proud of his family.

Michael earned his degree in Business from the University of Toledo in 1969 and went on to have a long and successful career in sales and marketing. He worked in sales for IBM, served as Chief Marketing Officer at Software Alternatives, and later became a co-owner of Aurora Solutions, where he left a legacy of strong work ethic, innovation and leadership.

He was preceded in death by his grandson Colt DelVerne and his parents, John and Concetta DelVerne.

As we gather to honor the life of Michael DelVerne we invite you to join for visitation on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.–noon, followed by mass at noon, both take place at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5373 Main St, Sylvania, OH 43560.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation (https://chadtough.org/meet-the-kids/colt-delverne/), in honor of Michael DelVerne, to support continued cancer research. ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. (P.O. Box 907, Saline, MI 48176, Federal Tax ID: 47-4041494)

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