Michael F. Gaughan

Michael was born in Philadelphia and spent his entire life in and around the city. He grew up in South Philadelphia and went to South Catholic High School. His father died when he was very young and Michael and his brother Tom were raised by their mother, Martha. Martha was a wonderful woman who worked incredibly hard to keep food on the table for the boys. The family spent a lot of time at St. Gabriel’s Church on Dickinson Street. They struggled financially, and the generosity of the Church was very important to their well-being. Michael remembered that always. Michael worked at all sorts of jobs and used to tell stories about working at the Bellevue Hotel in downtown Philadelphia. He went to college at night, achieving his degree in engineering from Drexel University. He studied metallurgy, which he utilized in his long career in the welding and metal cutting industry. He spent many years working at J.A. Cunningham Equipment in Fishtown/Kensington, and he has many great friends from those times. He eventually starting working for Thermal Dynamics, a company based in Lebanon, New Hampshire, that designed and manufactured plasma cutting machines. He has a lot of great friends from those years as well. He loved to tell his family stories about his day on the road. He had a very unique way of making the ordinary moments in life special. In October, 1958, Michael married Dolores Krause. Their relationship was very special and it lasted for over 50 years until Dolores passed away a few years ago. Through all the trials and curve-balls that life sends our way, their love stood the test of time. They lived in South Philadelphia and had three children, Michele, Michael and Nancy. The three children were very blessed to have parents so present and involved in their lives. As the kids grew up, Michael’s sales territory often stretched from Vermont down to Virginia. So when the family took vacations, they were in Vermont and in Virginia! In 1962, Mike and Dolores scraped together some money to buy an old home in Sea Isle City, New Jersey. From that point forward they would spend their summers in Sea Isle City. Michael would be on the road all week and would return home on the weekends. An occasional family trip to the Ocean City Boardwalk to play on some rides, get Mack & Mango’s Pizza and some Shriver’s Water Taffy brought great and incredible excitement!!! Michael and Dolly joined the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City, so that the kids could get sailing lessons. Over the years, the Club became a center piece for the family’s summer activities and Michael soon became Commodore. The kids would sail and Mike and Dolly would spend many weekends socializing with friends and sometimes working hard in the kitchen at the Club, sometimes cooking for over 100 people. The entire family made friends at the Club, and many of those friendships have lasted long after the family no longer spent summers in Sea Isle. In the late 1970s, Mike and Dolly bought a home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. It was an older stone house that was the house of their dreams. The family celebrated many events at the house and the Wyncote/Jenkintown area became the new family base. Michael was a life-long committed and dedicated Catholic, and he attended services at the Immaculate Conception Church in Jenkintown for many years. He loved the Church very much. In his retirement years, Michael got a job at a local bank working on procurement and mail distribution. He loved it, and once again he made many good friends there. Michael was always a huge Philadelphia sports fan. He loved the Eagles, the Phillies, the Sixers and the Flyers. He loved going to games and particularly loved the new Phillies Stadium. He was, of course, extremely excited by the Eagles playing this season and never missed watching a game! In 2013, Dolores passed away after an extended battle with cancer. This was a very difficult time since they had been together constantly for over 50 years. After some time, Michael moved into a new apartment in the Gloria Dei community in Huntington Valley. He decorated his apartment in a way in which he was surrounded by family memories and photos. He participated in many activities in the building and made many good friends there. He was very happy with his new home and thrived in his retirement years. Michael is survived by three children, Michele, Michael and Nancy, and by three grandchildren, Jonathan, Alexandra and Andre, as well as a large extended family. He was very dedicated to his family and he will be greatly missed. He lived his 87 years to the fullest, and in doing that, he was an inspiration to us all. Peace. Family and friends are invited to attend a viewing from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30th and again from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1st at Joseph J. McGoldrick Funeral Home, 507 West Ave., Jenkintown, Pa. A Funeral Mass will follow 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1st at Immaculate Conception Church, 602 West Ave., Jenkintown. Interment in Holy Cross Cem., Yeadon, Pa. Contributions may be made to St. Gabriel Parish, 2917 Dickinson St., Phila., Pa 19146 Condolences at www.mcgoldrickfh.com