Michelle Marie Ford

(Age 55)

Michelle Marie Ford passed away on the evening of March 8, 2021, at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. She was admitted on October 29, 2020, with a TBI caused by her Juvenile (Type I) Diabetes. She had long fought her brittle diabetes, Lupus, Crohns and RA as well as mental illness and now had an even greater fight ahead of her learning to speak and function again. Sadly, after making hard-fought progress for over 4 months, her body took a turn for the worse and there was no fighting back.

Michelle was born to Marilyn (Prichard) Paulus and Robert C. Paulus in Wenatchee, WA, on December 9, 1965. She was later joined by two brothers. She attended CV and Freeman schools, later earning her certification in medical billing from Kinman Business University. She loved spending time with friends, riding her Harley, classic cars, baking, cooking, collecting hundreds of recipes, movies, traveling and her pets. Her go to panacea in good times and bad was always music. Those of you who knew her know that, as her brother Jim would say, she lived her life her way or it was the highway.

Michelle was blessed and is survived by two daughters, Kailey Marie Nelson (Rob Madden), and Samantha Leona Marie Vernon. She is also survived by her mother, Marilyn Fleenor (Michael), and her brothers, James R. Paulus (Debra) and Jeffrey E. Paulus (Leanna), beloved special cousin, Ashley Todd Kaiser (Justin), aunts and uncles, Kathy and Al Todd, Steve Prichard and George and Patti Prichard, nieces Natasha Williams (Jonathan), and Emilee and Taylor Paulus, and numerous other cousins, family and friends. She was preceded in death by her father and grandparents.

A quote from her daughter, Kailey: “You were loved despite your best efforts. We truly hope you can finally rest in the peace you always deserved but never let yourself have.” So true and the tragedy of mental illness. She was finally receiving help and accepting this fact when her life as we knew it ended on October 29th.

The family would like to express their gratitude for the wonderful care provided for Michelle at Sacred Heart ICU, the Neurological floor doctors, nurses and staff, and the many therapists who patiently worked with her these many months while family was not able to be by her side. On a fine sunny day, they took her outside to sit in the sun and the last intelligible, slurred words she spoke were “this is nice.”

A celebration of life will be held at a later date due to COVID restrictions.