July 19, 1939—June 29, 2009

Melvin Michael Mikolajczak, a master craftsman of furniture restoration and refinishing, died Monday in the Center for Hospice& Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, after a long illness. He was 69.

Mr. Mikolajczak, who was known to friends as “Michaels,” was born in Buffalo and graduated from McKinley High School, where he studied in the carpentry program. He served in the Army National Guard, including active duty as a medic in San Antonio.

He was employed as a furniture finisher by Kittinger Furniture Co. for 12 years before opening Mel Michael’s Restoration for furniture and interiors in Lancaster in 1969.

Mr. Mikolajczak specialized in bringing antique furniture and wooden artifacts to their original finish, working with fine art finishes such as gold, silver leaf, and faux and trompe l’oeil painting. Clients included Armand Hammer, Delaware North, Rich Products, Goldome, M&T, KeyBank and Rockefeller Center, along with prominent Buffalonians, interior decorators and furniture distributors. The store closed in 2008.

He also owned Nearly New Antiques in Orchard Park for several years in the 1990s.

Surviving are his wife, the former Carole Civello; a daughter, Andrea Christopher; and a son, Stephen.

A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for 10 a. m. today in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Swormville. Burial will be in the church cemetery.