Michael Cutillo

Michael Joseph Cutillo, who loved so well his family and friends across the country and who was well-loved by so many, died in his sleep on November 8 in his Scottsdale, Arizona home. He was 64.

Born October 24, 1961, in Medford to the late Carmine J. and Margaret Donahue Cutillo, he went home to Somerville, where two older sisters welcomed him. The family later moved to Randolph, where he attended public schools. By the time the Cutillo family moved to Falmouth, Michael had become a big brother to a brother and two more sisters.

Michael was a 1979 graduate of Falmouth High School and a first-generation graduate of Salem State University, from which he earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Mid-career, he obtained a master of science degree in training and development from Lesley University.

From his earliest job, a part-time gig in high school at McDonald’s, Michael proved himself to be a hard worker, dedicated employee, and person of achievement. In a LinkedIn recommendation, one writer said, “Michael has an excellent balance of quantitative, qualitative, and interpersonal skills.” A supervisor noted, “he is a strong communicator, can interact very effectively with all levels of any organization and is greatly respected by his peers [and] team members.”

Michael began his career in logistics as an account manager at World Class Logistics Management. From there, he ascended to a series of increasingly responsible management positions at companies ranging from US Wood Products of Littleton, Mass., to APL LTD. He worked at APL locations in Long Beach, Calif., and Phoenix, Ariz., including roles as Manager Eastbound Logistics and Manager, Land Transport-Special Commodities Equipment. After a short stint at a job in Norfolk, Va., a town he did not acquire a taste for, he returned to Boston, which he loved — except for its winters. From 2015 to 2020, he worked as a Senior Business Analyst for Blume Global. A COVID-caused job change brought him back to Arizona, where he purchased a home in Scottsdale and loved desert sunsets and long walks on cool days. He worked at FlexiVan, then at Mastery Logistics Systems. He retired in 2023 as a result of a health issue, profound hearing loss caused by an autoimmune disorder.

Michael enjoyed spending time with family and friends; he was a great conversationalist and created fun for family and all of his friend groups. Though he moved often, living on both the East and West Coasts, he excelled at keeping in touch with the friends he made wherever he lived, maintaining friendships via lively phone calls, Zoom gatherings, group text chains, and in-person visits. In fact, he’d just booked a flight for a December visit with a former APL colleague living in Texas.

He loved traveling with his tribe of cherished friends. Travel highlights included multiple stays in Palm Springs, Calif., and Provincetown, Mass., skiing in Europe’s Alps, exploring Costa Rica, and an African safari. He volunteered for causes, including Boston Living Center and the Human Rights Campaign. An avid cyclist for many years, he raised thousands of dollars for Fenway Community Health Center by pedaling hundreds of miles for AIDS rides from Boston to New York. He also rode the AIDS/Lifecycle, a 545-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Michael leaves his sisters, Dianne Cutillo of Adams, Mass., and her husband Bernie Pinsonnault; Lisa Metcalf of Dalton, Mass.; Pamela Cutillo of Millbury, Mass.; and Gail Cutillo of Stoddard, NH; his brother, David Cutillo of Kentucky; his honorary sister Melissa Morgan-Duffey, of Millbury, Mass., and her husband Scott Duffey; nephews Benjamin Dufault and his partner Mitch; and Alexander Dufault and his wife, Ciara; honorary niece Maria Morgan and her partner Parker; grandnephews Nathan, Elijah, Julien, and Avery; grandnieces Rosie and Sophia; his stepmother, Bonnie Carbone-Cutillo of Wareham, and hundreds of close friends, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was predeceased by his nephew Steven Metcalf and his paternal grandmother and aunt, Josephine and Florence Cutillo, with whom he was especially close.

A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Cecilia Parish, 18 Belvidere St., Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 11 am. Please go directly to the church for the funeral. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Calling hours at Buonfiglio Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere, will be Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 7 pm. 

Friends and family will also host a Celebration of Life for Michael, tentatively planned for Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. If you wish to RSVP or be included in the speaking program at the Celebration of Life, please contact celebratemichael2026@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org), the Greater Boston Food Bank, or your local food insecurity organization