Michael Francis Dignam

Michael F. Dignam passed away on May 15, 2021 surrounded by his family and friends. He is survived by his loving wife Lisa, and sons Michael (wife Lindsey) and Reeves, and granddaughter Maeve. He is also survived by his mother Winifred Dignam, his sister Mary Catherine Klatt, and brother Joseph Dignam.

Mike was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on June 30, 1956 to Winifred and Joseph Dignam. He and his parents moved to Englewood, Florida when he was 10. He graduated from Port Charlotte High School, where he excelled at high school sports, playing on both the tennis and football teams. He attended Florida Southern University where he graduated cum laude in three years with a degree in Accounting. He then attended the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama where he met his wife, Lisa. After their marriage, he attended the University of Miami Law School where he received a Master in Laws, specializing in Tax and Estate Planning.

He began his law career in Fort Myers with the law firm Smoot, Johnson, Johnson & Green, rising to the rank of partner before opening his own solo practice. He practiced law in Fort Myers for 40 years and received the highest recognition in the legal industry for his professionalism and ethics. Many of Mr. Dignam’s clients had taxable estates, but he devoted much of his time performing pro-bono work for individuals and families that needed legal representation. His professional legacy lives on, as he recently merged his practice with Green, Schoenfeld, & Kyle.

Though he had a distinguished career as a lawyer, Mike’s true passion was spending time on the water, which he began doing as a young boy growing up in Englewood. When he was twelve, he bought his first boat and drove it to school at Lemon Bay Middle. He was fond of telling stories of how he used to pay for boat gas by catching pinfish and selling them to bait shops. During the forty years he lived in Fort Myers, he always owned a boat and loved spending time on the water. As a master angler, he shared his love for the water with his sons, whom he taught how to fish for snook, redfish and trout in Pine Island Sound. He was also an accomplished scuba diver, and the family spent many summers lobstering in the Florida Keys and diving its many reefs and shipwrecks.

Throughout the years, Mike coached many of his sons’ sports teams, including soccer, basketball, Little League baseball and golf teams. He was named Coach of the Year for Little League several times. He also started the St. Francis Xavier golf team, which led to an association of middle school golf teams.

Mike was an avid golfer and a member of Cypress Lake Country Club, where he played golf with his best friends for over 20 years. Mike made many lifelong friends over golf, beer and betting games, and the stories and escapades of him and his friends are innumerable.

A lifelong Catholic, Mike made sure his boys received a Catholic education, both at St. Francis Xavier and Bishop Verot High School. Mike spent many years attending mass at St. Cecilia’s and Church of the Resurrection. Mike’s Catholic faith was extremely important to him, and he did his best to live by the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The love of Mike’s life was his wife Lisa, and they were married for over 40 years. During his illness, there was an overwhelming outpouring of support from his friends and family. He fought a hard and courageous battle with cancer, and remained upbeat, positive, and hopeful throughout the grueling course of treatments. Though he lost his battle with cancer, he was extremely grateful for the care of his team of doctors, especially his good friend and neighbor, Dr. Frank Rodriguez. His nurses, Holly with Hope Hospice and Anita with Able Healthcare Services, were always there to help him walk this journey.

Mike Dignam was an outstanding husband, father, and friend. He will be greatly missed. Funeral services will be held at Church of the Resurrection at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 28. A reception will be held in immediately following the service in the Parish Hall. The Rev. Msgr. Stephen E. McNamara will officiate the funeral Mass.

In remembrance of Michael’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to Hope Hospice.