With great sadness, the family of Michael Ionno announces his peaceful passing on November 17th, at home and surrounded by those he loved. Known affectionately by his wife as “Michael boy,” he will be deeply missed by family and friends and fondly remembered for his quick wit, warm friendliness, remarkable generosity, sharp intellect, and boundless curiosity. Michael had an affinity for quirky cars, a quick turn of phrase, and an enduring love for tinkering with cars even writing a blog about his automotive adventures (https://www.curbsideclassic.com/author/ionno56/) —a combination that made time spent with him both entertaining and wonderfully insightful.

Michael lived life with extraordinary fullness and resilience. Even after his glioblastoma diagnosis, he remained a fighter—never allowing it to diminish his zest for adventure. He and his wife, Debbie, continued to ride their tandem bicycle, ski, and run together daily nearly to the very end.

Though he passed the CPA exam on his first attempt and earned a full scholarship to complete his MBA at the University of Maryland, Michael often said his most cherished diploma was the one he earned in 1972: his Schwinn Factory–Trained Bicycle Mechanic certificate.

His greatest pride and joy were his sons, Joshua and Peter. Michael shared his lifelong love of skiing with them, delighted to watch them carve their own path on the slopes—even if that meant choosing snowboards over skis. He beamed with pride as both sons became instructors: Joshua, a Level 2 snowboarder at Ski Liberty, and Peter, a Level 3 snowboarder and children's examiner at Keystone.

Michael and Debbie shared 40 years of marriage, filled with ski adventures, cross-country road trips, regular cycling rides, XPN World Café journeys to explore music around the globe, and always organizing bike tours on their World Cafe exploration travels.

The thought process behind preparing for an interesting project always intrigued Michael, whether a car repair or a home improvement—though more often than not, the project would happily morph into a collection of side repairs along the way.

Among Michael’s fondest memories were driving Route 100 in Vermont, training for his Level 2 PSIA certification at Ski Liberty, riding his tandem bike so he and Debbie could always stay in stride and conversation, savoring the thrill of “driving fast in a slow car,” road trips in his 1968 Porsche 912 Soft-Shell Targa, watching F1 races up close with press credentials, attending a screenwriters’ workshop in Los Angeles, cycling from San Francisco to LA, and riding his bike from his hometown of Marion, Ohio, to begin his freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania.

Michael lived with purpose, passion, humor, and heart. His spirit endures in the adventures he inspired, the stories he leaves behind, and the family who will forever treasure his love.

A celebration of life will be held next summer, when family and friends can gather to share stories, smiles, and memories of a man who made our lives brighter.