SHARON — Michael Richard Tesoro MD, FACOG, FACS passed away peacefully on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2024, in Sharon. He was 83 years old. Michael will be remembered for his love of and unwavering devotion to his family and his honorable and steadfast work as a medical doctor delivering over 3,000 healthy babies and women’s healthcare. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 20, 1941, Michael was the son of Nicholas Daniel Tesoro and Lillie Della Vecchia Tesoro, whose parents emigrated from Southern Italy in the early 1900’s.
Michael attended elementary school at Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church and School in Brooklyn, where his future wife, Maureen Lennon, also attended, and where they were later married in 1964. Michael graduated from James Madison High School in Brooklyn, in 1958. He received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology and Chemistry from St. John’s University in 1962. He then attended New York Medical College in New York, New York, performed his Medical Internship at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut, (1967-1968) and received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 1968. Michael performed his post-graduate Residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) at St. Clare’s Hospital in New York. (1968-1972). From 1972-1974, Michael served in the United States Air Force, Major, Chief of OB-GYN Services at USAF Hospital, Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Delaware. He became a member of The National Board of Medical Examiners in 1968; a Fellow of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 1971, a board-certified Fellow of The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FACOG) in 1974, and a board-certified Fellow of The American College of Surgeons (FACS) in 1975.
In 1974, Michael moved his family to Sharon, a place he would call home for the next 50 years. Michael opened a private medical practice on The Green and later established satellite offices in Canaan and New Preston, and Dover Plains, New York. He became an Active Attending Staff at Sharon Hospital (1974), Chief of the OB-GYN Department (1980-1991), Chief of the Medical Staff (1988-1990), and he remained on the Consulting Staff of Sharon Hospital through 2001.
In 1991, Michael became an Associate Attending Staff in the OB-GYN Department at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. He served as the Assistant Departmental Director (1991-1995), Associate Departmental Director (1995-2000), and Assistant Director of Gynecological Ultrasound from (1991-2000). He was also the Associate Director of The Residency Program for OB-GYN (1994-2000). He later served as a consultant to the CEOs of Westerly Hospital in Westerly, Rhode Island (2001-2002), Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, Massachusetts (2003-2004), Nashoba Hospital in Ayer, Massachusetts (2004-2005).
He held various positions of leadership with American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Connecticut, Vice Chair (1991-1994) and Chair (1994-1997) and ACOG District I (Quebec, the Canadian Atlantic Provinces, all New England states, and Chile) among them, Vice Chair (2000-2003), Chair (2003-2006). He helped ACOG efforts to pass Connecticut’s mandate that health insurance plans allow patients direct access to their OB-GYN and actively involved with the team that helped shepherd national “The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act of 1996.”
Michael loved to travel with his wife of 60 years, Maureen Lennon Tesoro. They travelled extensively and visited every continent but Antarctica. In 1983, they travelled to The People’s Republic of China (PRC), on one of the first medical missions from the U.S., less than 5 years after PRC began Reform and Opening efforts.
Michael was a member of Saint Bernard Roman Catholic church in Sharon. In 1986, Michael was Chair, Archbishop Annual Appeal, of the Archdiocese of Hartford. Michael was also a member of The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He led two medical missions to provide women’s health services to remote villages in the Dominican Republic in 2000 and 2002. He volunteered at Malta House of Care, a mobile medical clinic in Waterbury that provides free quality health care to uninsured and those living below the poverty line (2010-2018).
He is survived by his wife, Maureen Lennon Tesoro, and passed away one day short of their 60th wedding anniversary. He is also survived by his sister, Barbara Tesoro Finegan of Little Silver, New Jersey; his sister-in-law Eileen Lennon of Nyack, New York; and his three children, Michael Richard Tesoro Jr. (Robin Herrick Tesoro) of Windsor, Massachusetts, Jennifer Tesoro Reese (Michael J. Reese) of Larkspur, California, and Todd Lennon Tesoro of Salisbury; and 5 grandchildren Aidan Reese, Eloise Reese, Lily Reese, Francesca Tesoro and Nicholas Tesoro.
A memorial service will be held on May 17, 2025, at 1:30pm at the Trinity Lime Rock Church in Lakeville, Connecticut.
