Michael J. Vaccacio
May 27, 2021
Michael J. Vaccacio passed away on March 29, 2021 in Spotsylvania, Virginia. “Mike” entered this world November 11, 1949 to Joseph & Dorothy Vaccacio (nee McEntee) in Brooklyn, New York, which was the 3rd most notable event of the year, following Russia’s development of a nuclear bomb, and the introduction of the Volkswagen. He proudly joined other new arrivals, Billy Joel, Meryl Streep, & Bruce Springsteen.
A curious & independent spirit, Michael spent his early childhood in Brooklyn and at the age of 6 gave his personal approval for his parents move to Towaco, NJ… Yes, a real place in northern NJ, which he would call home for the next 63 years. Together with his 4 younger siblings Michael completed his elementary education in the Montville Township school system, then he went on to graduate from Boonton High School in 1967.
Throughout his youth Mike was an a very good athlete who excelled at just about any sport, baseball, football, and volleyball, being just a few. He was an incredibly strong swimmer too, as his nieces & nephews would attest having tried for years to gang tackle him in any pool. As an avid fan his joy & misery always centered around his NY roots which ebbed & flowed based on the particular success of his Yankees & Football Giants. Since his earlier days in Korea Mike was committed to Tai Kwan Do as a martial art. Having reached the level of a black belt he was still working out up until his untimely passing. While not super competitive, he enjoyed getting the best of those close to him in friendly games of chess, cribbage, Ping Pong, or darts… or just simply taking your coin in a good game of poker. There was a rumor (which he may have started) about how good a dart thrower he was. However, many now believe this was just a ruse for finding good Irish Pubs.
As the war in Vietnam raged, Mike enrolled in the Aeronautics Academy in Queens, NY to pursue his interest in all things related to flight and the emerging space program. However, at the height of the war in 1969 the government ended all college deferments so Mike enlisted in the US Air Force. He did his basic training in Texas and then… became a world traveler. He served with distinction as an interpreter of Aerial Photography, received many commendations, and was honorably discharged in 1978.He was immediately hired by the Northrup Corporation for his expertise and spent the next couple years as a consultant in both the Mid-East and Germany. Returning home, his analytical mind & god given nature to understand how things work led him into the exploding computer industry. He spent the next 30 years, working as a programmer/coder for various corporate organizations, until retiring in 2012. In 2017 Michael made a small concession to father time as he moved south to Fredericksburg, VA to be closer to his family, and help care for his aging mother.
Michael was a voracious reader and developed a deep love of all things scientific; from Astronomy & Archaeology, to the laws of Physics & Nature that govern us, or any subject in between worthy of the question “why?”. They fascinated him, and only drove his curiosity to learn more, but it was his ultimate love of the Science-fiction novels & stories with their “what if” possibilities that touched the “dreamer” in him and became his passion, thus influencing the imagination of all around him, especially his siblings. Countless stories, from sci-fi masters like Asimov & Bradbury, classics like Dune, 2001, & I-Robot. From The Lord of the Rings to The Loch Ness Monster, his welcome sharing & retelling invariably opened the doors of wonderment for many young & fertile minds, and was as great a gift as anyone could pay forward… his curiosity became yours, and now, you wanted to learn more about what could be.
Michael had an unquenchable thirst for History, and Military history, as well. both modern & ancient settings he would tirelessly explore the events & strategies of military battles, famous leaders from Napolean to Ceasar, and their impact on the world of their times. He loved a good debate on the mistakes made at Waterloo, or who might be the greatest general of the ancient world. He was once asked why he read, studied, and got so granular with detail when all that info was right there on the internet anytime he wanted it. His simple reply was, “Because I like to think.” Very clean Bwana, very clean! In another lifetime, Michael would have made a wonderful professor.
Uncle Michael Jellybean, or “Jellybean”, was a most affectionate nickname foisted on him years ago by his nieces & nephews, and their children. He wore it like a Red Badge of Courage. With the entrance over the years of several more “Michaels” into the immediate family, the mere call of “Hey Mike” would induce a cavalry charge to which all would retort, “Which One?” To avoid confusion, the solution was to label each Michael in hopes of quicker identification by the kids to understand whom they were referring to. As his frequent reply to all children, anywhere, when playing with them was typically, “What do you mean, jellybean?” he became hoisted on his own petard! He was thus bagged & labeled for eternity.
The Jellybean will indeed be missed beyond measure. He was as kind and generous as one could imagine and truly would give you his last dollar if he thought you needed it more. His renaissance mind & blue-collar attitude gave him a strength of character to do “the right thing” despite circumstances which was evident to all who knew him. He was selfless, and never relished being the center of attention, but his reserved nature did not diminish his presence, love of social gatherings, or being part of clowning around and other festivities. With his dry humor he would often lay in the weeds and then deliver a one-liner at just the right time that would slay the crowd and leave all panting with laughter. Through his genial eyes he met all newcomers as future friends, and always insisted on buying the first round… a tactic fervently embraced by his sisters. He will be forever remembered for the unique & unbreakable bond between he & his siblings, and the lore of their special shared experiences. His love of children, inherited from his parents and truly a family legacy, knew no distinction. Whether he just met them or not, family or not, there would be magic tricks, readings, jokes, and perhaps a quick introduction to the game of chess because…… as he often said, “Ya never know…”
Predeceased by his parents, Michael is survived by a large and devoted family that include; his sisters, Frances Antosek (husband Michael) of Stafford, VA; Marguerite Manning (husband Michael) of Richmond VA, and Ellen Brown of Jeffersonton, VA; His brother, Stephen (wife Kathy) of Succasunna, NJ; his nieces, Lindsay Manning Yonce (husband Jon), Whitney Manning Padgett (husband Jay) and Nicole Brown; his nephews Matthew Vaccacio, Eric Vaccacio, and Jonathan Manning; and his 3 grandnieces Natalie, Caroline, & Madeline.
A curious & independent spirit, Michael spent his early childhood in Brooklyn and at the age of 6 gave his personal approval for his parents move to Towaco, NJ… Yes, a real place in northern NJ, which he would call home for the next 63 years. Together with his 4 younger siblings Michael completed his elementary education in the Montville Township school system, then he went on to graduate from Boonton High School in 1967.
Throughout his youth Mike was an a very good athlete who excelled at just about any sport, baseball, football, and volleyball, being just a few. He was an incredibly strong swimmer too, as his nieces & nephews would attest having tried for years to gang tackle him in any pool. As an avid fan his joy & misery always centered around his NY roots which ebbed & flowed based on the particular success of his Yankees & Football Giants. Since his earlier days in Korea Mike was committed to Tai Kwan Do as a martial art. Having reached the level of a black belt he was still working out up until his untimely passing. While not super competitive, he enjoyed getting the best of those close to him in friendly games of chess, cribbage, Ping Pong, or darts… or just simply taking your coin in a good game of poker. There was a rumor (which he may have started) about how good a dart thrower he was. However, many now believe this was just a ruse for finding good Irish Pubs.
As the war in Vietnam raged, Mike enrolled in the Aeronautics Academy in Queens, NY to pursue his interest in all things related to flight and the emerging space program. However, at the height of the war in 1969 the government ended all college deferments so Mike enlisted in the US Air Force. He did his basic training in Texas and then… became a world traveler. He served with distinction as an interpreter of Aerial Photography, received many commendations, and was honorably discharged in 1978.He was immediately hired by the Northrup Corporation for his expertise and spent the next couple years as a consultant in both the Mid-East and Germany. Returning home, his analytical mind & god given nature to understand how things work led him into the exploding computer industry. He spent the next 30 years, working as a programmer/coder for various corporate organizations, until retiring in 2012. In 2017 Michael made a small concession to father time as he moved south to Fredericksburg, VA to be closer to his family, and help care for his aging mother.
Michael was a voracious reader and developed a deep love of all things scientific; from Astronomy & Archaeology, to the laws of Physics & Nature that govern us, or any subject in between worthy of the question “why?”. They fascinated him, and only drove his curiosity to learn more, but it was his ultimate love of the Science-fiction novels & stories with their “what if” possibilities that touched the “dreamer” in him and became his passion, thus influencing the imagination of all around him, especially his siblings. Countless stories, from sci-fi masters like Asimov & Bradbury, classics like Dune, 2001, & I-Robot. From The Lord of the Rings to The Loch Ness Monster, his welcome sharing & retelling invariably opened the doors of wonderment for many young & fertile minds, and was as great a gift as anyone could pay forward… his curiosity became yours, and now, you wanted to learn more about what could be.
Michael had an unquenchable thirst for History, and Military history, as well. both modern & ancient settings he would tirelessly explore the events & strategies of military battles, famous leaders from Napolean to Ceasar, and their impact on the world of their times. He loved a good debate on the mistakes made at Waterloo, or who might be the greatest general of the ancient world. He was once asked why he read, studied, and got so granular with detail when all that info was right there on the internet anytime he wanted it. His simple reply was, “Because I like to think.” Very clean Bwana, very clean! In another lifetime, Michael would have made a wonderful professor.
Uncle Michael Jellybean, or “Jellybean”, was a most affectionate nickname foisted on him years ago by his nieces & nephews, and their children. He wore it like a Red Badge of Courage. With the entrance over the years of several more “Michaels” into the immediate family, the mere call of “Hey Mike” would induce a cavalry charge to which all would retort, “Which One?” To avoid confusion, the solution was to label each Michael in hopes of quicker identification by the kids to understand whom they were referring to. As his frequent reply to all children, anywhere, when playing with them was typically, “What do you mean, jellybean?” he became hoisted on his own petard! He was thus bagged & labeled for eternity.
The Jellybean will indeed be missed beyond measure. He was as kind and generous as one could imagine and truly would give you his last dollar if he thought you needed it more. His renaissance mind & blue-collar attitude gave him a strength of character to do “the right thing” despite circumstances which was evident to all who knew him. He was selfless, and never relished being the center of attention, but his reserved nature did not diminish his presence, love of social gatherings, or being part of clowning around and other festivities. With his dry humor he would often lay in the weeds and then deliver a one-liner at just the right time that would slay the crowd and leave all panting with laughter. Through his genial eyes he met all newcomers as future friends, and always insisted on buying the first round… a tactic fervently embraced by his sisters. He will be forever remembered for the unique & unbreakable bond between he & his siblings, and the lore of their special shared experiences. His love of children, inherited from his parents and truly a family legacy, knew no distinction. Whether he just met them or not, family or not, there would be magic tricks, readings, jokes, and perhaps a quick introduction to the game of chess because…… as he often said, “Ya never know…”
Predeceased by his parents, Michael is survived by a large and devoted family that include; his sisters, Frances Antosek (husband Michael) of Stafford, VA; Marguerite Manning (husband Michael) of Richmond VA, and Ellen Brown of Jeffersonton, VA; His brother, Stephen (wife Kathy) of Succasunna, NJ; his nieces, Lindsay Manning Yonce (husband Jon), Whitney Manning Padgett (husband Jay) and Nicole Brown; his nephews Matthew Vaccacio, Eric Vaccacio, and Jonathan Manning; and his 3 grandnieces Natalie, Caroline, & Madeline.