Michael Joseph Zagotta of Taylorville, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on March 4th, 2026, at the age of 66, after his ten-year battle with lung cancer.
Michael was born on February 2, 1960, to Joseph and Dolores (Grill) Zagotta in Chicago. He grew up with his four siblings in Chicago and Orland Park. On Troop Street he met and made lifelong friends with Bill, Bob, Fred, Mike B., and Rich. He met his wife, Erin Dennis, while they were both attending Illinois State University, where both became active in the campus Newman Center. He and Erin were married at the Newman Center in 1984, and together they shared 41 beautiful years of marriage. His two daughters were his pride and joy, and he dearly loved being a grandpa to Maisie.
Michael and Erin moved to Taylorville Illinois in 1988, with Michael working as a Safety Officer at Memorial Hospital and The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine until his retirement.
Michael loved fishing, bowling, volunteering, coaching girls' sports, and spending time with his family. He was a talented cook, quick with a joke and a laugh, and had a lifelong love of music. His favorite place on earth was Hayward, Wisconsin, vacationing in a cabin by the lake with his family.
He is survived by his wife Erin; his daughters, Sarah and Ann; sons-in-law John and Hayden; his granddaughter Maisie; his siblings, Maureen, Sharon, Pat and John, and numerous brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. He was a beloved, dedicated husband and father, and will be dearly missed.
A funeral mass for Michael will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Taylorville with Fr. John Burnette officiating. The visitation will be held one hour prior to the mass in the church. Memorials may be made to the MMC Assistance Fund for Cancer Patients Program, and the Lung Cancer Foundation of America's Research Fund. McClure Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Taylorville is assisting the family with arrangements.
MMC Assistance Fund: https://memorial.health/springfield-memorial-foundation/giving/
Lung Cancer Foundation: https://lcfamerica.org/
