Newport, NH – Michael Wilson Sielewicz, 63, of Newport, NH, died peacefully on August 25, 2026 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. Michael was born in 1962 in Albany, NY, to Edwin George Sielewicz of Newport, NH, and Joyce Wilson Sielewicz of Charlottesville, VA. While the family was based in the Albany area, his father's work took them to Ottawa, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; and Greeneville, TN, with the family returning to Albany between moves. Michael later lived in Tacoma, WA, and Boston, MA, before settling in Newport. He graduated from the Asheville School, NC, and attended nursing school at Albany Medical Center. Michael had strong progressive political interests, including working for a non-profit that advocated for single-payer healthcare in the Pacific Northwest. He was a constant reader, and had a deep love of music both as a guitar player and a listener, believing in its restorative and transcendent potential. He attended the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, OH, and worked as a sound recording engineer. He then transitioned to film production work in the Boston area. After moving to Newport, he worked at the Hanover Food Co-Op. Michael developed young-onset Alzheimer's in his early 50's and switched to part-time work at Aurora Bakery and volunteering at the Newport Senior Center. He was committed to living a life based on decency, empathy, generosity, imagination, and joy, and those gifts touched the hearts of friends and colleagues wherever he went. Michael passed away while in memory care at Summercrest Senior Living Community in Newport. Michael is survived by his mother, Joyce, of Newport; his cousin, Lewis Wheeler, and wife, Amanda Collins, of Boston, MA; and his aunt, Laura Conrad, of Buffalo, NY. Michael was predeceased by his father, Edwin; his brother, Captain David Joseph Sielewicz, USAF; and his uncle, Jesse Birch Wilson III, of Charlottesville, VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Richards Free Library in Newport, NH: https://richardsfreelib.org/donations/
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Michael Wilson Sielewicz