Once upon a time, not so long ago, a passionate, determined little girl was born on January 9th, 1956 to her parents Gerard and Claire Skitch, in Saint Paul, Alberta, who named her Michelle Marie Madeleine Skitch.
Michelle spent her early years in Saint Paul, Alberta, and for the rest of her short life, every summer at the family cabin at Bonnyville Beach, Alberta. At the age of 13 she and her family moved to Coquitlam, BC where her father was a chef instructor and her mother a secretary manager.
She spent the years after high school living between Edmonton and Coquitlam. In those years she attended NAIT, Douglas College and SFU, training to write computer programs. In 1979 she met her soon to be husband, Denis, at a ball hockey game, one year later in 1980, they were wed.
They then moved to Quesnel for one year in 1980 and have been there ever since bringing up two beautiful daughters, Mimi and Jeri.
Michelle worked as a secretary and School Meals Coordinator for School District 28 and was; a facilitator for BC’s first Salad Bar Program, founder of the first Community Garden in Quesnel, founder and president of the Good Food Box Program in Quesnel; a member and Past President of the CWL; a member of Breakfast Clubs of Canada; an active member of the Breast Cancer Survivor Association and the Quesnel Shiraoi Twinning Society. But the passions of her life were sewing, cooking, family and friends
Sadly, on April 20th, 2015, Michelle passed away after a long and difficult battle with breast cancer and its side effects.
Michelle is survived by her husband Denis and her daughters Jeri (Chad) Williams and Mimi Lessard, and the newest addition to her family is due mid summer this year, and her many cousins.
There will be a celebration of life at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Quesnel presided over by Father Peter Nguyen. Prayers will take place on May 1st at 7:00 pm with a funeral Mass on May 2nd at 1:00 pm with a tea to follow.
In lieu of flowers donations can be make to the Quesnel Chapter of the Cancer Society or the Quesnel and District Palliative Care Association