Mike Lane Obituary, Death – Michael J. Lane, 58, of Bethany, passed away on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, in the comfort of his own home with his cherished family by his side, following a valiant battle with brain cancer. He was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. Michael J. Lane’s passing came after a courageous battle with the disease. He was the devoted spouse of Gail E. (Graves) Lane for the entirety of their thirty-four-year marriage.
Michael was the son of John Lane and Ann (Castaldo) Lutinski and was born on September 25th, 1964 in the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Michael displayed a natural talent for instructing throughout his entire life. He excelled throughout his studies and was able to earn a sixth-year degree in educational leadership, making him a graduate of Grand Haven’s Technical High School. He was also a member of the National Honor Society. His life’s work was guided by his passion for fostering the intellectual growth and professional success of others.
Michael was a devout Christian and attended St. Michael’s Church in Beacon Falls as much as he could throughout his life. Michael possessed a unique talent that enabled him to constantly, in some way, bring out the best in other people. He had the uncanny capacity to see things in other people that, if it weren’t for Michael, they wouldn’t even be able to recognize in themselves. Michael worked as a Special Education teacher for seventeen years before moving on to become the Sales Training Director for Connecticut Basement Systems. In this role, he was responsible for instructing a large number of people from all across North America.
Michael always offered his absolute best effort, was completely focused to the subject at hand, and was extremely generous with his time no matter what it was. He was an outstanding educator, counselor, and coach, and he had a profound impact on the lives of a great number of people. Michael has always had a passion for racing, whether it was go-karts, stock cars, or motorcycles. He also enjoys the rush of speed. Even though he was not at all experienced in fishing, he took great pleasure in recounting the story of how he came to hold the Connecticut fishing record for black seabass.
Michael was a gifted composer and musician who played the piano, keyboards, and accordion. At the age of 17, he won the national championship for playing the accordion, and at the age of 25, he ranked third in the world. He had always had a love for music. Michael proudly arranged all of the music for a variety of events for Michael Bolton’s Orchestra, including Bolton’s Christmas Concert in London, the Hollywood Bowl, and even music for a presidential inaugural ball in Washington, DC. These are just some of the venues where Michael’s work can be heard. Along with his wife, Gail, he fronted a top 40 band, and the three of them spent a significant amount of time touring the country in the 1980s playing music at various venues.