Michael C. Nastri

Michael C. Nastri, age 41, passed from this world at his Spring Hill, TN home on one of his favorite days of the year, July 4, 2024 surrounded by love and family. Born in Syracuse, NY to Michael and Margie (Callahan) Nastri, the Nastri family moved to Franklin, TN when Mike was 10. After the culture shock subsided, Mike delighted in his childhood here, biking all over Fieldstone Farms and Cottonwood, playing sports and making lifelong friends wherever he went, for to know Mike was to love him. He inherited all of his Grandfather Joe’s charm, and possessed a rare mix of kindness, empathy, intelligence, loyalty, humility, competitiveness, and playfulness. In short, he was endearing beyond measure.

Michael was a family man at heart. He was a devoted husband, father, son, and brother. As a young man, a fortune teller once told him he’d have three great loves in his life, much to his fiancé Cassie’s dismay. In recent years, he loved recounting that story and how it did in fact come true in the form of his wife Cassie, and daughters Genevieve (12) and Eleanor (9).

Mike was happiest when lost in a deep conversation or a good home project, listening to music and enjoying a stiff Jack & Coke. He loved history, strumming his ukelele, reading to his daughters, spending time with his parents and family, going to work each day at The Iron Gate among his friends, and the diabolical art of fantasy sports. He knew one excellent card trick which may have won him his wife. Mike was a graduate of Franklin High School, Western Kentucky University, and held a masters from Cumberland University. More importantly though were his achievements in a life well lived, and we can all learn so much from the way he approached the last months of his life.

Tenacious of spirit and strong of heart, Mike fought his cancer battle with all of the determination, strength humor and resilience that characterized all of his endeavors. Though leaving us too soon at 41, Mike lived and loved enough for many lifetimes. He left us all with these words, “My heart is full and I die a very happy man. I hope you all get the same peace at the end.”

Michael will be dearly missed by many- his wife Cassie, daughters Genevieve and Eleanor, parents Mike and Margie Nastri, beloved sisters Julie Nastri, Laura (Ben) Larson, and Jennifer Wilson, father-in-law Marvin Mealer, sisters-in-law Ashley (Frank) Duvall and Amanda Mealer-McArtor, his 5 nieces & 4 nephews, and countless other family and friends.

Friends and family are invited to a funeral service to be held at the Catholic Church of the Nativity in Spring Hill, TN on Saturday July 13, 2024 at 2:00 pm, with a small reception to follow in the Narthex of the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Team Chad to support their work in meeting all of the various needs of cancer patients in the TN area.