Michael Joseph Sierpina

It is with broken hearts that we announce that Michael Joseph Sierpina, the heart and soul of our family, our protector, left us peacefully on May 27, 2026. His loving family and friends were by his side. Following a courageous and brief battle with ALS, Mike passed away shortly after his diagnosis. Although this disease took so much away from him, it did not take away his determination, love and dedication to his family and friends.

Mike, a lifelong Stamford resident, was born on July 13,1952 to the late Theodore M. and Louisa Del Vecchio Sierpina, Sr. In 1974, Mike married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Melanie Mancini Sierpina. Mike and Mel shared 52 wonderful years of marriage, during which they raised the other great loves of his life: their daughters Krissy and Kate. Together, they enjoyed spending every holiday together, years of concerts (especially the Irish Band & Billy Joel), the beach with his crew, summer vacations and mini-trips, pumpkin picking, cutting down Christmas trees, dinners at Zody’s and just being together.

Mike attended St. Mary’s Elementary School and graduated from Stamford Catholic High School. Mike is also an honorary member of the Providence College Classes of 2002 and 2005, from where his daughters and sons-in-law graduated. Mike’s first job was working with his dad at Schaefer’s Moving and Storage. He started his career in building maintenance at Peerless Maintenance before starting his own business, KLS Building Services. Mike spent the last 20 years working for ServPro.

Mike, also known as Mick, Fiver, Big Mike and Mr. Peen, truly loved life and found joy in many things, including storytelling, his mini-van Big Red, wearing shorts in the winter, packing coolers, sitting outside listening to music while having a drink with Kris and Billy, Gatorade and any and all traditions, especially carving the Thanksgiving turkey. Mostly, Mike loved hearing his favorite nickname, Papa, and anything and everything involving his 5 grandchildren who adore him.

Mike loved all things sports. His life in sports was playing touch football and years of city and travel softball, for teams such as Peerless Maintenance, Dry Dock Cafe, The Clique and Holly Press. His time playing softball was the most memorable and “adventerous”, as he told MANY stories from his time on the field. Some of his favorites were playing softball games on donkeys, softball tournaments in Delaware and the Cape and spending “quiet” nights in hotels. Mike spent many years coaching his daughters Babe Ruth Softball Teams, where he not only taught the sport but taught his teams how to enjoy the game. He also enjoyed being on the golf course (not so much the golf), watching the New York Yankees and New York Giants.

Mike was the epitome of a son, husband, dad, papa, brother, uncle, cousin, friend and co-worker. Not a bad bone in his body, saw the good in everyone, the life of the party. Mike loved to have fun but more than that loved seeing others have fun. Mike was the guy you were happy to have as part of your life, and he was just as happy to have you. Always up for a “cumbumberance”, whether you were spending time with Mike playing musical chairs, dancing on the ceiling or just running into him at the GAC, we hope you all hold a special memory of him close to your hearts. To know Mike, was to love Mike.

Left to cherish Mike’s memory are his devoted wife and best friend Melanie Sierpina, his biggest fans and loving children, Kristyn & Kris O’Brien and Kate & Billy Barford, and his adoring grandchildren Mikey, Maggie, Molly, William and Grayson. He is also survived by his brother Ted Sierpina, his wife Diane and their children Shannon, Nicole & Tom and Amy & Thomas. Also surviving are Mike’s sister LuAnn Sierpina, his sister-in law and her husband, Kathi & Jack Joyce and his cousins, Bob & Jean Del Vecchio. He will also be missed by The Vakos Family and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, especially Christoher & Meg, Scotty & Katie, Sara & Doug, Christopher & Ellen and all of their children.

Our family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our family and friends who showed an incredible amount of love and support to Mike and our family during his brief illness. Also special thanks Dominic Roca, MD, Jen Werely, MD, Neil Shneider, MD, Respiratory Therapist, Christine and the compassionate and helpful staff at Stamford Hospital ICU, especially Ashleigh and Shawn.

A funeral procession will leave the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 10:30 am, and proceed to St. Leo Parish, 24 Roxbury Road, Stamford, CT for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 11:00 am. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM (Mike would love it if you dressed casually for the wake. As you know he loved his shorts, t-shirts and flip flops).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Mike’s memory to The Anthony Rizzo Foundation (https://arizzofoundation.org/).

To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com.