March 21, 2008 – John Fortinay Michel, also known "Johnny" or "Rio," of Columbus, Ohio, passed away on Monday, March 17, at the age of 90. John was born in Roseau, Dominica, on June 27, 1917. He spent his early years growing up in New Town, Dominica, where he attended the Roseau Boys School, and most of his adult life in Bellevue Chopin, Dominica. Although a carpenter by trade, John also cultivated his own plot of land and served as an overseer for other landowners, cultivating and harvesting sugar cane, citrus fruits and other commodities.
In the early 1960s he, his wife Margaret, and their family settled in the United Kingdom, where he spent 17 years before returning to Dominica. In the mid-1990s he moved to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and later to Columbus, Ohio, where he resided until his death.
He was preceded in death by his mother, MaryAnn Moses; his father, Nathaniel Michel; his wife (first) Margaret Michel (neé Lewis); grandsons (step) Leroy (Mona) and Desmond (Marquette) Raphael.
He is survived by his wife (estranged), Christinita; sons: Gabriel (Cyrillia) Mitchell; Alexander (Lucy), Luke (Arlene), Anthony, David, Gerard, Isaac (Jennifer) and Erskine Michael; daughters: Martha (step) (Thomas) Raphael, Ann (Julian) Mitchell, Geraldine (Phillip) Jno. Baptiste, Catherine (Daniel) Ormond, Noreen Michael, Dora Henry and Ruth James; grandchildren: Jennifer (Mourace Scott), Patricia (Nodier Diaz), Roy and Melinda Mitchell, Larry (Terue) and Glen (Leondra) Mitchell, Ivo, Irvin and Simone Michael, Vernice (Edward) Lloyd-Taylor, Sandra (Matthew) Lloyd-Samuel, Ruth (Eddley) Xavier, Phillip Jno. Baptiste Jr., Jennifer Michael, Jacqueline (Anagyros) Sarafoupolus, Sarah (Garry) Benson, Luke Michael, Pearl (Miguel) Hill, Daniel and Priscilla Ormond, Siobhan and Renata Michael, Abigail, James, Miles and Toby Michael, Clara Henry, Jamila James, Hertisha Michael, (step) Samuel (Glenda), Derek, Erwin (Marline), Isaac (Jacqueline) and Micah (Juliet) Raphael. He is also survived by many great and great-great grandchildren, as well as other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Funeral services are set for Monday, March 24, at the Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Chapel, 720 East Long St., Columbus, Ohio 43203. The viewing will be at 1 p.m., and the service at 2 p.m. Arrangements are by Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Services (614) 258-9549 (v) or (614) 258-5835 (f).
