San Juan, Puerto Rico - The eldest of four children born to Mike and Frances (Brown) Kwolek of Scott Township, Michael — affectionately known as "Mickey" — was a graduate of Laurel High School, class of 1966.

Following high school, Mickey worked summers at J&L Steel in Aliquippa to help afford his college education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from IUP in 1970 with a degree in Spanish Language Arts.

Soon after graduation, Mickey volunteered in The Peace Corps. He trained in Puerto Rico and was assigned to a mountainous region of Equador. He spent three years there, teaching the locals more efficient methods of crop production, in addition to teaching them to speak Spanish. By the end of his volunteer commitment, he and his co-volunteers had written a dictionary in the native language of the locals with a Spanish translation.

Upon his return to the states, Mickey relocated to New Jersey. There he worked in the state prison system, teaching both Spanish and English to the inmate population.

Wile living in New Jersey, he met and married Flor Maria Valenzuela in 1980. They moved to the Dominican Republic — her native country — in 1981.

He was employed at the state university known as Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo. In 1982, they welcomed a beautiful daughter, Marlyn.

As life often happens, Mickey and Flor Maria went their own ways. He eventually met and married Tamara Reyes in 1987. In 1989, he and Tamara moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was employed as a freelance translator and transcriber for the court system until he retired in 2018.

Mickey enjoyed watching an assortment of sporting events on TV, reading newspapers and caring for their pet cats. His greatest joy in life was spending time with his three grandchildren, either at their home in Santo Domingo, or when they would come to San Juan.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Kathy (Kwolek) Tomon; and sister-in-law, Judith (King) Kwolek.

He is survived by his wife, Tamara; his daughter, Marlyn; son-in-law, Elieser; granddaughters, Isabella and Gabriella; grandson, Carlos George; brother, Joseph; sister, Mary Louise (Kwolek) Shaffer; brother-in-law, Tim; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.