Michael Fawcett
1944-06-25 2022-03-04Michael S. Fawcett
June 25, 1944 ~ March 4, 2022
Michael S. Fawcett, 77, of Savannah, GA, formerly of Palm Beach, FL, Hamilton, MA and Pittsburgh, PA, passed away on March 4, 2022. His devoted wife and partner of 20 years, Hedy, was by his side.
Michael was born in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1944, to Harry and Miriam Fawcett (“Johnny”), both now deceased. He was the oldest of four children and shared lifelong friendships with his loving sisters Deborah P. Fawcett of Cambridge, MA, Penelope McDermott (Paul) of Hilton Head Island, SC, and Meghan Wise (John) of Green Bluff, WA.
Michael graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1962 and from Hamilton College in 1966, where he was a devoted alumni and member of Sigma Phi. He married Ann Durbin of Chicago in 1966, and they gave birth to their beloved son Courtney Durbin Fawcett in 1967. Courtney now lives with his wife Heidi Fawcett in Rowley, MA, and he has been a business partner with his father for many years.
Michael earned his law degree in 1969 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and began his legal career at the esteemed firm of Eckert Seamans in Pittsburgh, followed by Sullivan & Worcester and Mintz Levin in Boston. Michael then started a career in new business development including a Pepsi bottling business that began in Argentina and soon spread throughout South America. He developed other successful business ventures such as Braxton Associates, Health Dialog Services and other new ventures through his own firm Meacham Woodfield, LLC. This was his passion and he never retired.
Michael married Polly Osborn in 1982, and in 1984 they gave birth to their beautiful daughter Madeleine Johnston Fawcett. Madeleine now lives with her husband Adam Atenasio and their three children, Ines, Otto, and Bingham in Ipswich, MA and Brooklyn, NY, along with Madeleine’s mother Polly.
Michael loved sporting horses and dogs. He launched a world class polo team and breeding operation with his Cold Comfort Farm in Hamilton, MA, and Argentina. His team traveled worldwide to win many tournaments at Palm Beach Polo, Saratoga, Myopia Hunt Club and Argentina. His team, with this son Courtney playing by his side, won the prestigious East Coast Open among many other trophies; and had the first and only undefeated high-goal season at Saratoga. Michael was Captain of Polo at Myopia Hunt Club.
Michael married Hedy Becker in 2008. Among their many personal pursuits, Michael and Hedy were partners in launching the first entrepreneurship program at Hamilton College designed to mentor college students seeking to launch new business ventures. They also participated in a similar program at the University of Florida School of Business.
Michael was an expert angler and golfer. He and his wife explored many new golfing, fishing, and riding adventures. Michael was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and mentor to many young people. Michael was extraordinarily generous in every way.
Michael was a connoisseur of fine wine, art, and literature. He had a brilliant mind and a sharp wit, he was creative, loving, a loyal friend and honorable man. Michael was a ”peachy” dancer and always the most dapper of men. He loved to relax with a Cuban cigar and a glass of Lagavulin. He drank deeply from the cup of life.
Michael was a longtime member of the Everglades Club, Bath & Tennis Club, Allegheny Country Club, Duquesne Club, Somerset Club, Myopia Hunt Club, Singing Beach Club, Saratoga Golf Club, The Reading Room and the Lotos Club.
Michael was a passionate student of history and an American patriot. He was a historian who cherished the freedoms created by our founders and guaranteed by our constitution. He enthusiastically supported numerous Veteran’s organizations.
Along with his immediate family, Michael was adored by his niece Lily Faught of Cambridge, MA, and his many nephews, Peter McDermott of Roanoke, TX, Bryan Wise of Pound Ridge, NY, and Andy McDermott of Bluffton, SC. He was predeceased by his youngest nephew Colin Fawcett Wise.
Celebrations of Michael’s life will be held in Savannah, GA on May 2 at 11:00 at the Fox & Weeks funeral home at 7200 Hodgson Memorial Drive; and another on the North Shore of Boston on June 25. In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations to the American Traditions Vocal Competition (ATC), the Coastal Conservation Association (Skidaway Island Chapter) or the Wounded Warrior Project.
Mike was a close friend since Markham School, and I always thought of him as one of the friendliest, smartest, wittiest, and most articulate guys I knew back then. I also think of him now as one who had a great influence on my life. The first instance was when we were applying to colleges in the Fall of 1961. He came back from a campus visit to Yale with stories of wild parties with free-flowing alcohol and, though there may have been some other reasons to go there, that was probably the tipping point. Later in life the influences were somewhat more mature. In the early ‘70’s when I was living in Cambridge and he had moved to the Boston area to become a very successful venture deal lawyer, we had some great times socially and also began to develop a network of business friends. This eventually led to a couple of venture deals in which Mike was instrumental. Even more recently in the 2010’s, after he and his wife Hedy had founded their business advisory firm, he was generous with their time to advise me on the last startup of my business career. In the last few years, I stopped for a couple of visits to see Mike and Hedy in Savannah on my way down the coast to Florida. They were great hosts, and I’m pleased to say that Mike remained the same warm friend he always had been. In June, 2022, I attended a “Celebration of Life” for Mike at the home of his daughter Madelaine in Ipswich, MA. It was organized by his widow Hedy and was the combined efforts of his large extended and blended family, which includes three sisters, three wives, and children of two marriages with their families, and was attended by about 100 friends from his life in the Boston area, many who had been in businesses with Mike and many who had played polo with him at the Myopia Hunt Club and around the world. It was heartwarming to hear the tributes given by his children and wives that he was a great father and husband, loved and admired by all. Mike was an extraordinarily gifted entrepreneur and deal maker, and many of his friends had stories to tell about his business and polo exploits. Mike had many passions that he shared with his family and friends, but polo was arguably the most noteworthy. He formed tournament winning teams at Myopia and also in Argentina and Palm Beach, and he even imported some high-goal Argentines to play on his teams in the US. I was astounded to learn that at one point he owned 55 horses! At the Celebration I was able to share, with people who didn’t know him back then, some of my boyhood memories of Mike - Cub Scouts, Markham School, Miss Milligan’s math class at Mellon, freshman football, his eloquent renditions of Shakespeare in Miss Elliott’s AP English class, the Boy’s Pep Club hi-jinks at high school football games, and so much more from our teen years. I am sure many of our classmates have their equally strong memories. I will miss him dearly. Ken Coleman
tribute by Ken ColemanMike and I were casual friends back in the day. He became an attorney with Sullivan and Worcester in Boston. A strategy consulting firm I co-founded, Braxton Associates, needed a lawyer. We found Mike. He was awesome. He negotiated, with me, a succesful merger with the far larger Deloitte Consulting. Mike was both an excellent transaction attorney and a man with style. He wore French cuffs and suspenders. We called him 'slick' an honoriifuc. RIP, counselor.
tribute by Tom DoorleyThe year was 1955, and the Markham grade school football team was being assembled. I was new in town and played end, and was running around on the field with no idea what to do. Our best receiver was a tall kid in jeans and hip pads -- Bucky Hamilton. At quarterback was -- Jim Daniell (Jim's dad was quarterback coach). In the middle of it all -- hiking the football and calling the huddles (as I remember it) was -- Mike Fawcett, at center. That squad was a championship team....
tribute by Kenneth Kurtz