Michael Sepe, long-time member of the Society of Plastics Engineers and contributor of materials know-how columns to Plastics Technology magazine, died April 28 from a sudden illness. He was 71.
Sepe died at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix.
Sepe grew up in Darien, Conn., and graduated from Darien High School. He attended Columbia University, where he studied chemistry and anthropology. After leaving Columbia he moved to Illinois and joined Stelle Group, a spiritual commune, where he met his wife, Audrey.
They married and moved to Wisconsin, where they had one child, Kristina in 1985. In 2004, the family relocated to Sedona, Ariz.
Starting at Stelle Plastics in 1975, Sepe gained a lot of hands-on experience with the injection molding process, which turned into a nearly 50 year career in the industry, according to his funeral notice.
After Stelle Plastics, Sepe became technical director of Dickten and Masch, where he established the company's first analytical lab. In 2006 he left and started an independent plastics consulting business.
At SPE's Antec 2024 in St. Louis, Sepe was one of speakers in a special Glenn Beall Symposium on March 6.
Survivors include his wife Audrey and daughter Kristina.
A memorial service and private burial took place on May 3 at Sedona Community Cemetery in Arizona. Donations may be made in Michael's name to the Sedona Community Food Bank.