Michael Joseph Falcone

Michael Joseph Falcone, of North Palm Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully in his home on April 10th, 2024, surrounded by family. Mike, or “Mickey” as many of his dearest family and friends called him, was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, and to his extraordinary joy, a recent great grandfather. The son of Michael Paul and Rose Falcone, Mickey married his wife of 60 years, Noreen Reale Falcone on April 23, 1960. They lived a very full life first in Syracuse and Skaneateles, NY, and then for many years, in North Palm Beach, Florida. Family and friendships were the foundation for Mike and Noreen, and they considered their greatest success and legacy the strength they found within their family and for their family. Mike lived a life filled with travel, adventure, and friendship. He was an avid hunter, golfer, skier, (he skied into his 80’s), rowed his Adirondack boat daily on Skaneateles Lake and was an enthusiastic fan of horse racing, as both a handicapper and owner. He was an influential real estate developer throughout Upstate NY spanning from the early 1960s through today. He and his beloved anchor, Noreen, led many important civic and philanthropic initiatives throughout their lives, including important contributions to Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, CBA, Skaneateles Festival, The Skaneateles Lake Association, the Finger Lakes Land Trust, The Everson Museum, Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, Syracuse Symphony and Opera, Francis House, and far too many more to mention. For all their passions and interests, nothing took more priority in Mike and Noreen’s lives than their large extended family, their greatest pride. They loved hosting friends and family in their homes on Skaneateles Lake and their beloved ski house in Stratton Vermont. Legend has it that Mike remains the youngest real estate license holder in the State having first obtained his at the tender age of 16, working with his beloved father to sell homes. A graduate of Christian Brothers Academy and Syracuse University (‘56), Mike started working as a real estate broker for Egan Real Estate in Syracuse. It was while at Egan that Mike started buying small rental properties, improving them, and eventually selling them. In 1963 he left Egan to go out on his own and in 1969, he and his CBA schoolmate Bob Congel, started the Pyramid Companies. In 1977, Mickey started the Pioneer Group, a management and development company that initially focused on developing new office buildings in the downtowns of Syracuse, Buffalo, and Rochester. In 1986, with his partners Dan Murphy, Dale Van Epps, and his sons Michael and Mark, he created the Pioneer Companies, which successfully built millions of square feet of office buildings, shopping centers, assisted living centers, hotels, and urban mixed-use projects throughout the US. Mickey was predeceased by his loving wife Noreen and is survived by his children Michael (Nicole Ruvo), Mark (Ellen Bruss), Michelle (Greg) Drumm and Melissa (Tom) Zell; 13 grandchildren, Sonya (Pete Stein), Olivia (Chris Roderick), Luke (Phoebe Tillem), Michael, Savaria (Costa Trikas), Amelia, Nathan, Julia, Bella, Gabriella, Alison, Angelia, Gaia, 3 great grandchildren, George and Lew Stein, Elio Falcone; his brother Robert (Judy) and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the amazing caregivers that helped him so much over the last several months, and we could never have done any of this but for the selfless dedication of our friends Carlos Velasquez and Yolanda Lacoste, who have so lovingly cared for our parents and this large extended family. A small, private funeral service will be held in North Palm Beach for family and close friends with a grand celebration of life to follow later this late spring. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that donations in his memory be made to the Skaneateles Lake Association. https://skaneateleslake.org/memory-honor-donation/

Michael Joseph Falcone

January 5, 1936 - April 10, 2024