Obituary of Dr. Michael I. Prochilo

Michael I. Prochilo, 68, of Peabody, a professor of English at Salem State College for four decades, died Thursday in Danvers. Dr. Prochilo, who succumbed after a short heroic struggle with lung cancer, was a person of immense talents, interests and passions. He was a man devoted to his family, friends, the beauty of flowers and marshes, good food, art and life. He was also an accomplished artist and inveterate art historian. Mr. Prochilo was born in Winthrop and was raised in Revere. A Salem State Graduate, Dr. Prochilo earned his master’s degree from Boston College, his doctorate from Boston University and completed his post-doctoral study at Harvard University. In his retirement, Dr. Prochilo pursued courses at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Ellen (Donahue) Prochilo, his daughter, Cristina and her fiancé, David Miedema of Beverly, his brother and sister-in-law, Frank and Rose Prochilo of Northford, CT., his sisters-in-law, Noreen Donahue of Harwich, MA and Ruth Dunn of Hamilton and numerous nieces, nephews, and many loving friends, students and colleagues. A Visitation will be held on Monday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody Facility. His funeral will be held on Tuesday at 10:00 AM from the Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Mass in St. John’s Church, Peabody at 11:00 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Hospice of the Nothshore, 10 Elm St., Danvers, MA 01923 in his memory.