Obituaries: 2023 September

Sept. 1, 2023

Michael Fontes

Michael Irwin Fontes, 81, of Volcano, HI., died on July 25 due to pneumonia.

     Loving baseball his whole life, Michael started with Senior Softball USA back in the mid- to late-1990s.

     He was born and lived most of his life on the Big Island of Hawaii. “He loved baseball, working with his hands, and music,” stated his obituary pamphlet. He operated heavy machinery for Volcano National Park.

     "Mike was a very likeable guy who loved playing softball and playing in all of the tournaments we played in," said Dan Ayala, manager of Hawaiian Pride 80s. "He wanted to play one more time in the 2023 Worlds."

     He’ll be remembered as a long-time player of Hawaiian Pride 65s all the way to 80s, playing with them from 2008 to 2022.