Sad news indeed.
This was taken while he and Mike Hackenberger were visiting me on the Ringling show at the Meadowlands in 1994. Michael CecereHe was know from the 1970s on as a teen age lion trainer on Hoxie Bros Circus who then later went on the become an elephant handler on a number of truck shows including Hoxie Bros Circus, Ford Brothers Circus and other great indoor and outdoor shows. He also performed at Jungle Larry's zoo, in Ohio for a few years. He worked with lions, tigers, asian and african elephants.Mike was also an author and regular contributor to many circus publications like circus report where he shared great many stories about life on the road. After leaving the circus industry, he was managing a working farm in Hasting NY for several years until he left to pursue other ventures. Mike was well know among those folks in the circus who have animals, especially cats and elephants. Mike was a good friend to many.
Michael A. Cecere, 57, passed away on Wednesday at the Crown Center Nursing
Home in Cortland following a long illness.
He was a lion & elephant trainer for the Hoxie Brother’s Circus along with sever other circus organizations traveling to South America, Europe, Canada, Mexico and all over the US. His life was working with and training animals. When he started at age 17, Michael was known as the youngest person ever to train lions. Michael always put the animals first and frequently said if there was a problem with an animal, it was not the animal’s fault but the fault of the person training the animal. Michael was predeceased by his parents who were his only family. Surviving are friends Jim and Steve Cronk , their families, and other close friends he kept in touch with. Services are 11am Friday at the Traub Funeral Home, 684 N. Main St., Central Square, NY. |
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Just learned of Mike Cecere's passing!
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When Mike was starting out, he wrote me several times seeking items to collect. I was glad to send him some of what he wanted--poppers, spent blanks, a wardrobe shirt--and he was ever grateful. I met him only once, when he visited the Beatty show, in '81, after he had gained a substantial name for himself and had realized his dream. He was an articulate circus writer, and now will be sadly missed for the colorful contributions he made over the seasons, in and out of the ring. I trust someone will provide us further details of Mike's passing.
Mike was going to take out a show with a backer. I don't remember any of the details. The last time I saw him was 10 years ago or so when we visited him in central New York state.
Does anyone know about the equipment he acquired, such as wagons, etc?
At one point he worked for a chap in upstate NY who had collected some circus wagons and rail cars as I recall. His name may have been Brown.
Mike was always a good correspondent.
I did not realize he was so young, at least from perspective as an octogenarian.
Mike worked for Col Brown in New York and at one time the Col wanted to put out a railroad tent circus and had several railroad cars on a siding, a pullman, box car and several others but they just sat there and nothing ever came out of it.
Mike claims I got him the job in New York from a circus report story I wrote.
I just talked to Mike a few weeks back and never knew he was this bad off.
He was a writer in a half and kept a journal of all his circus adventures.
We were great friends till the
end.
Now he is Gods big top with all the circus greats from the past.
Harry in Texas
Do you know where his journals are now?
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