Michael McDonough

It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of Michael McDonough, 67, on April 15th, 2026. Michael died of a broken heart less than two years after losing his wife, soulmate, best friend, and partner in crime for over 40 years, Maureen. He was surrounded by his loved ones and mementos of his late wife at the time of his death.

Michael was born on May 7th, 1958, to John and Garnett McDonough in Springfield, Ohio. Michael was one of four McDonough children and was a very active young outdoorsman, novice carpenter, and avid mechanic. In his younger years, Michael could have easily passed as the fifth member of the Beatles, sharing their iconic haircut. Michael was raised with the belief that being curious and that education is the foundation for a successful life, something that he would pass on to his two children. He was forever curious about outer space, how things worked, and the natural world around us. Those curiosities helped shape the trajectory of his life.

Michael followed his passion for mechanics and the pursuit of understanding how things worked by attending Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and Wright State University, where he received his graduate degree in engineering, specializing in thermodynamics. He published several scientific articles and helped push research further in the field. He met the love of his life, Maureen, in Ohio while he was out with friends. They were attached at the hip from the very first night and were lovingly referred to as the ‘M&M’s’. Wherever Maureen was, Michael was never far behind. They were married on August 17th, 1991, at St. Raphael’s in Springfield, Ohio. Two years later, they welcomed their daughter Cara, followed by their son, Colin. Michael and Maureen did everything together and enjoyed weekend trips to farmers’ markets, visiting friends and family, and a weekly date night.

Their two most proud achievements were raising two beautiful and kind children that embodied all the best attributes of their parents. Michael was a wonderful father, helping his children with their math homework or science projects. He helped build Colin a fully operational solar system for class, helped recreate the iconic Wicked Witch of the West melting scene from The Wizard of Oz for a science fair, and helped Cara with a myriad of her architecture projects. One thing he was most proud of passing onto his children was his taste in music. You could find Michael jamming out to anything Rock, like The Beatles, The Who, or Led Zeppelin, or, if the day called for it, some smooth jazz.

Michael worked at NASA Space Operations, connecting his childhood love of the stars to his career, before moving the family to Rockford, Illinois, where he led the quality department for the Chrysler plant until he retired. While at Chrysler, Michael got to celebrate many milestones, including the launch of several new vehicles, and his personal favorite, helping develop the SRT4 Dodge Neon. He was consistently recognized as one of their top engineers, leading the plant to be internationally recognized for quality and compliance. His career was only part of the full life he led.

Michael was a man of many talents and interests. He loved fishing and taught both his children how to catch bass and bluegill. He was an avid watch collector and repairer; he built his own high-performance computer; and was a constant reader of Sci-Fi. His love for outer space manifested itself in his love of Star Wars and Star Trek, along with any show about space. He was a man of few words, but he could always crack a joke that would make the whole room laugh. Michael had a talent for understanding the complex and translating it for others. He had an infectious curiosity, never saying no to a challenge.

Michael was predeceased by his wife, Maureen McDonough, and his parents, John and Garnett McDonough. He is survived by his two children, Cara and Colin; his siblings, Elizabeth, Johnny, and Mark McDonough and their many children; and Maureen’s siblings, Sean Burke, Kyle Burke, Colleen Stucky, Devin Burke, Neal Burke, and Patrick Burke and their many children.

A service will be held on May 22nd, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET in Springfield, Ohio at St. Raphael’s Church (225 E High St., Springfield, OH 45505). Please keep his family in your prayers. In lieu of flowers, please take a moment to look up at the stars and appreciate the universe around us, just as Michael would have done.