Mokelumne Hill, CA… Dr. Michael T. Romano Jr, age 65, of Mokelumne Hill, Ca lost his battle with cancer early Saturday morning, September 12. His wife, Connie, and his stepchildren, Tom, Chris, Mandy, Crystal, and Grandson Connor were with him in Modesto after he and Connie were evacuated from their home by the Butte wildland fire.

Michael was born in Philadelphia PA to Rose Romano who survives him. After graduating medical school Michael opened a practice in Internal Medicine in Danville Kentucky with his best friend Dan. Moving to New Jersey in the late1980’s he changed his specialty to Emergency Medicine. Michael moved to California in 2002 with his then wife Patricia who predeceased him. He was a very popular Emergency Department Physician at Mark Twain Medical Center. Dr. Romano retired in 2010 due to health reasons. He married Connie in 2011 and together they filled the following years with many adventures both by vehicle and on his beloved motorcycles. He celebrated his life daily, always with a smile on his face, and defied the odds of his illness for almost 6 years.

In addition to his wife, stepchildren, and grandson, Michael is survived by his mother Rose, Sisters, Rosemarie and Barbara, Brother-in-law, Roger, nephews, Carmen, Brian, Jim, and Kevin with his wife Elise, nieces Michelle and Lauren and an extensive extended family.

At Michael’s request there will be no memorial services but rather celebratory Italian dinners in California, Kentucky and in New Jersey at dates to be announced to family and friends. Memorials can be made to the Calaveras Recovery Program or the Multiple Myeloma Foundation in the hopes that other lives can be extended and more dreams fulfilled by their search for a cure.