Michael Charles Tramontana

On May 13,1938, Michael Charles Tramontana was born in Brooklyn, NY, to his loving parents Angelo Charles Tramontana, a Sicilian immigrant who arrived at Ellis Island in 1907, and Angelina D'Amico, a first-generation Italian American. Five years later, Michael was joined by his one and only sibling, his sweet sister Enrica. Michael grew up in the Ridgewood neighborhood of Brooklyn where he attended grade school at St. Martin of Tours and worked at his father's venetian blind store. Michael developed an everlasting devotion to his family and his Catholic faith, the pursuit of education as a means of upward mobility for the less privileged, respect for neighbors of all different faiths and ethnicities, celebratory gatherings of all kinds, and horse racing. Michael's parents were ahead of their time in recognizing the power of education; they worked hard to provide Michael with an excellent education at the local Catholic high school, Chaminade College Preparatory School, in Mineola, NY. The school made a lifelong impression on Michael as he always held the teachers and students there dear to his heart. Mike began college at Villanova University but came back to New York to finish his degree at St. John's University, where he graduated in 1960. After a short stint in the Army, Michael returned to New York and began what would become a 60-year career in the stock brokerage industry. One of Michael's favorite social outlets came through his membership to the famed New York Athletic Club (NYAC) on Central Park South. He would keep his membership his entire life, even though he lived most of his life in Oklahoma. In 1966, Michael met the love of his life, Dorothy Lisi. They were married exactly one year to the day of their first date-on September 30, 1967. Michael and his bride took an unheard-of honeymoon, spending 6 weeks in the south of France, staying in little villages and chateaus, where Michael brought Dorothy fresh flowers from the local market every day without fail. One of the pivotal moments of his life came in 1968, when Michael was offered a management position at Dempsey Tegler in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he would live the next 56 of his 86 years. While he never lost his ties to Brooklyn, he absolutely loved Tulsa, the close-knit community, and the friendships it fostered. New to the Tulsa community with no personal or professional connections, Michael grew to be a successful stockbroker, which he and others attributed to his love for people and his extroverted "Brooklyn" personality, coupled nicely with 100% authenticity and integrity. Michael worked until December 2023-just seven months before he passed. Shortly after moving to Tulsa, Michael and Dorothy were blessed with three children. True to his roots as an Italian American Catholic from New York, family was everything to Michael. As a father, he prioritized faith and education, but he was also extraordinarily patient and understanding. His children were schooled in the arts of good Italian food, operas, and Broadway musicals, how to place exacta, quinella, and trifecta bets at the horse track, and how to artfully show up unannounced at peoples' homes at all hours of the day. Michael was known for his appreciation for cultures and faiths different from his own. Some of Michael and Dorothy's dearest Tulsa friends were Jewish, which brought joint celebrations of Hanukkah and Christmas, tree-decorating parties at each other's homes in December, and Passover and Easter celebrations at each other's homes in the spring. After his family, Michael was a beloved friend to so many. His friends in Tulsa spanned all social and economic groups, faiths, and backgrounds. He got a tremendous kick out of being known as Mr. T to many of his kids' friends. Michael attended Mass every morning at Cascia before work until recently. He and Dorothy befriended numerous priests and nuns, all of whom would often find a seat at the family dinner table, particularly when Dorothy had just made a fresh batch of tomato sauce. Michael made his famous St. Joseph Day party a tradition; friends crammed into their basement to celebrate Mass, followed by a scrumptious Italian food fest. Michael loved learning and experiences; he was an avid reader. He loved travel; he was blessed to take two amazing trips that held lifelong memories. The first took him across the United States to Revolutionary War sites, while the second brought him to all U.S. Civil War sites. In his 70s, Michael arranged an epic "guys trip" to Sicily, where he and several buddies ate and drank their way through Michael's ancestral homeland-and found the time to visit a few historic sites as well. Most of all, Michael loved people. Everything was better with people. After morning Mass, once a week, before heading to work, Michael and a group of friends would grab breakfast at their favorite Tulsa breakfast joint, Queenies, dubbing themselves the "Queenies Breakfast Club." For decades, Michael and Dorothy hosted an open house on Christmas, which grew more and more packed over the years as their kids grew up and had kids of their own. As much as Michael talked about his own family, he talked even more about his friends' families-what their kids were up to, what their grandkids were up to-and often developed his own relationships with relatives and the next generations of people within these families, because he loved the joy it brought him. Friendships breathed life into Michael. As one visitor said after visiting Michael in his final days, "Mike isn't a friend; he is family." Michael is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Dorothy; their daughter Christen Miles (along with her husband and devoted son-in-law Mike Miles and grandchildren Nick, Elise, and Lauren), son Nick Tramontana (along with his wife Jennifer and grandchildren Luke and Olivia), younger daughter Genevieve Cram (and granddaughter Ava); his nephews Tom Nastasi (and his wife Michelle, along with their daughters Gabrielle (Tom), Amanda (Bradley), and Victoria), and Charles Nastasi. He was preceded in death by his sister, Enrica Nastasi (and her husband Salvatore Nastasi), and his parents Angelo Tramontana and Angelina (D'Amico) Tramontana. To honor Michael, please consider a gift to any of the following organizations that had his support and his heart: Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma, Tulsa Day Center, and San Miguel School of Tulsa. Or maybe smile at a new friend and ask them to tell you about themselves. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, July 27, at 9:30 a.m. at the Church of Saint Mary at 1347 E. 49th Place in Tulsa.

Michael Charles Tramontana

May 13, 1938 - July 15, 2024