Michael D. Wetzel of Naples, Florida died peacefully in his sleep on May 10th. He was born on September 6, 1963 to Mary Ellen and Paul Wetzel in Greenwich, CT.

Michael was a beloved father, son, brother, and cousin to his traditional family, as well as a loyal friend to the many, many people he considered family too. He was a free spirit with an incredible optimism about life and a nearly perpetual smile. He judged no one and was quick to help others. Clever, intelligent, funny, and extraordinarily gifted at catching dangerous creatures on land or sea, he will be missed by us all.

Michael graduated from Newbury College's Culinary Arts Program in 1984. He was a talented chef whose career spanned fine dining restaurants in Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, and Naples, Florida, as well as Boulder, Snowmass, and other resort areas in Colorado. Later in his career, Michael worked at several church and mission kitchens, using his culinary skills to feed those in need. He served more than 600 people Thanksgiving dinner at Unity Church/Pray Attention Ministries in Naples in 2023.

Michael was also a gifted athlete who excelled at multiple sports. If Michael had chosen to, he could have played in the NHL; anyone who skated with him at the Tack Factory or the rink would attest to that. He never would have worn a helmet, though. A lifelong, avid outdoorsman, he encouraged us all to appreciate the majestic beauty of nature, and passed along his passion for hiking, skiing, the ocean, and the mountains to his children, Christopher and Corinne. He wasn't, however, an enthusiastic participant in our family's multi-player solitaire games, but was always on the winning team of "hide the bat" growing up with the Brown family, a game generally played outdoors!

Michael is survived by his son and daughter and their spouses, his parents, brother and two sisters, his two grandchildren, four nieces, his nephew, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and other loving relatives.

Services are being planned for a future date, but we invite you to join a gathering at Naples Pier to share stories and celebrate Michael on Saturday, May 18th at 6:00 PM EDT. For those not in Florida, please walk by the water, hike the woods or mountains, sticks out on your porch, or simply pause for a moment in whatever way is personally meaningful for you, at your sunset. If you feel comfortable sharing your celebration, please post a photo on his FaceBook page. A man of great faith, Michael would not want his friends and family to grieve but to know that he is with God now and at peace.

Donations in Michael's name can be made to Pray Attention Ministries and Reverend Diane Scribner (https://www.prayattentionmini…) or please donate to your local food pantry. Thank you. ❤️

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