Michelle was a loving and special soul.  She was always willing to help others when ever they were in need.  I will always remember her beautiful smile that lit up a room.  She will always remain in my memories and my heart.  

Always,

Rose

While my dear young friend MIchelle passed five years ago, I member    that day as if was just a day ago. She tried so hard—she struggled—to live a full life. I know this from our many deep conversations in the last months of her life.  She is now, of course, at peace.  We lost a wonderful, caring, ever-helpful, and smart friend who remains in our hearts.

Michelle will always be in my heart.  She had a beautiful soul that touched so many people.  Her soul is now at peace.

Love you Michelle.

Rose

I was blessed to know Michelle for ten years.  She was a ray of sunshine when I would come to work in the morning.  Michelle had the sweetest smile that could light up a room.  I am going to miss our morning chats.  She was a dear, sweet friend.  This world has lost something precious.  

My deepest condolences and prayers go out to her mom, her sister, and brother-in-law.  Please find comfort that Michelle is at peace and her spirit lives on through the memories you shared with her.

Always,

Rose Johnson

Dear Michelle's family:

My name is Kate Brady, and I knew Michelle in Colorado Springs through yoga. We both took classes at Pranava Yoga Center, but I really got to know her well when I started taking the Monday evening gentle yoga class somewhere in the winter of 2016-17. My parents had both died recently, one in the previous June, and the other in September. The gentle yoga class had a small group of regulars including Michelle who became my yoga family. I can't begin to describe what an important part of my grieving process they became. And it felt very unusual, because there aren't many people who are comfortable, or at least accepting of grief, but I was lucky. Michelle checked in with me, gave me hugs when I needed it, she even sent me silly photos of her dogs, just to try to brighten my day. Perhaps her struggles made her more comfortable with mine. 

Over time I think she moved to more intense classes or a different schedule, but it was always a treat when she did come to gentle. And she and the instructor Kris and I got coffee a few times. I always enjoyed her gentle smile and hearing what she was up to. Last spring she seemed to be improving, for which we were grateful. I hope that she has found peace, because she deserved it. Please know that her yoga family is grieving once again, and I am so, so sorry. 

Kate

I will remember the gentle and sweet spirit that Michelle shared with anyone and everyone.  I was honored to share space with her.  

Holding space for friends and family who grieve her passing and offer deepest condolences.
 

I am so grateful to have known Michelle for many years through Pranava Yoga Center. She was one of the first friends I met there in 2011 and she never failed to light up my face with a smile whenever I got to practice with her. I will always remember her as thoughtful, funny, spirited, generous, dedicated, compassionate, and loving. She is already sorely missed. Sending my love and wishes for peace and healing to all who were fortunate enough to have known her.

Photo: Michelle, Samantha, and me (Hethyr) after completing a 40-day challenge at Pranava Yoga Center in 2017.

Words cannot even begin to describe how loved Michelle was to the entire Pranava yoga community. Her smile and laugh were contagious, and she brightened up every room she entered. Having her in class was always such a treat and watching her grow as a yogini was something truly special.

I can still hear her voice in my head, and will hold her in my heart forever. I'm wishing nothing short of peace for her family, knowing what an incredible soul she was.

I'm saddened to hear of Michelle's death. I was privileged to work with her at CU and found her to be kind, funny, hardworking, a professor who always put students' needs first. What a loss this is to those of us fortunate enough to know her and to the world. My deepest condolences to Michelle's family, friends, colleagues, and especially students.

Michelle was the type of person, friend, and mentor that I was lucky enough to know and have in my life. Michelle was often tasked with work that would look often difficult and unrewarding by our college, but she excelled at it. Working to bring people together for the common goals of writing and students is a very, very tricky art, especially at a university as large as ours, and she handled those difficult tasks masterfully with strength, skill, and snacks.

Too often in this day and age we look for the loudest people with the firmest messages and declare them strong. Michelle was a testament to different kinds of strengths with gentle, unassuming tact and warm, welcomed smile. I will miss our chats about writing, dogs, students, and about everything else under the Colorado sun over some snacks from Trader Joe's that "just needed to be rid of".

Rest well, Michelle, and know that you are missed.

Michelle was one of the kindness, most generous people I have met. I worked with her for a few years at UCCS, and from the beginning knew that she was a wonderful person. A few snapshots of her loveliness--

During my job interview, she brought me clementines during a meeting with the English department chair. Spontaneous clementines. 

Once Michelle gave me a ride home from work. It was a very short drive, and we sat outside in her car for hours talking after we arrived. 

I directed the Writing Center, and my office was right next to the WC staff break area where student employees would drop off their things and work on independent WC projects. Sometimes a few of them would chat about school and life, and I would often overhear them talk about their favorite professors. Michelle's name came up many times. Students noticed what a kind listener she was and admired her cute shoes and cardigans. 

It's hard to believe Michelle is gone. I'll remember her smile, her laugh, and her generosity. It seems just a month or two ago that we were giving workshops about rubrics to faculty across campus or that I learned of her love for a really good cup of coffee. I am sorry that the we all lost a such an amazing person far too soon. 

The photo below is of Michelle, me, and Ann Amicucci. We presented at the 2016 Conference on College Composition & Communication together in Houston. The day this photo was taken, we took a long walk together. 

Michelle was a close friend and an excellent one. The last time we shared a meal at a restaurant before COVID-19 restrictions was for a friend's birthday. While we were eating, a snow storm blew in unexpectedly. I was unprepared without a winter coat or snow-worthy shoes.  Michelle shooed me into my car and cleared off the snow for me.  It was a small act of kindness that was so typical of Michelle. She gave of herself freely and was always available for a supportive chat. I feel her loss deeply and will always remember her as kind soul whom I was fortunate to call a good friend. 

I had the sincere honor and pleasure of being one of Michelle’s students at UCCS during my undergrad career. The first class I took with her, I remember being struck by how brilliant, kind, and deeply caring she was. She brought healthy snacks to class for her students every day; had a level of withitness that is rarely seen from college professors, let alone any teacher; and took her students under her wing to help them grow in whatever capacity they could. 

Our first meeting together to discuss one of my papers, she gave me some of the best writing feedback I’ve ever received, and throughout the rest of my time that semester, bolstered my confidence as a writer in a manner I had never experienced. 

When given the opportunity to take another of her classes my junior year, I leapt at the opportunity and was able to complete research work with some of my closest colleagues in the education department, but above all else, I grew to look up to Michelle so profoundly that she has impacted my pedagogy to this day. 

One day, I was having a breakdown from my workload on campus and found myself walking to her office without even thinking about it. She didn’t think twice before shutting the door, making me a cup of tea, digging in her purse for chocolate to give me, and calming me down while encouraging me and reminding me how strong I was. 

This is how incredible of a human Michelle was and the importance of her impact: it’s been years, but I still remember these interactions with her and hold them near and dear, and every time I, as a teacher, find a student having a hard time, I think about what she would do and remember the importance of compassion above all else. 

Michelle, you were and continue to be a beacon for so many. You will be dearly missed. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and for making me the teacher I am today. 

Ten years ago, Michelle and I met somewhat serendipitously in the English Department at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Dr. Neely was a new faculty member.  The rest is history in terms of our friendship and Michelle's numerous contributions to the department, college, campus, and University of Colorado system.  As Michelle said to me shortly before her passing, "It's amazing how our paths crossed." Many will speak to her brilliant contributions to education and the kindness and inspiration she offered to her students and colleagues.  I'm 27 years Michelle's senior in age and a widow, but the disparity in our ages and circumstances was meaningless. Our friendship was full of humor, laughter, long talks, long walks, comfort food meals, and understanding conversations.  I told her I loved her in terms of Aristotle's definition of the highest form of love: "desiring the best for another person."  She understood that. I will miss my wonderful friend deeply.  But I am sustained by the warm memories of our friendship, of Michelle as a smart, generous, helpful person, who never had a bad word to say about anyone. As Horatio eloquently bids his friend Hamlet, "And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest," dear friend.

We are so sorry for your loss. Michelle was an amazing and incredible woman. 

Michelle played a huge role in the early days of the  Bachelor of Innovation Degree at UCCS. Thanks to her leadership, we worked to have our required courses count for writing requirements, the writing portfolio required for graduation, and had writing fellow assist our students.

Michelle was a dear friend and a woman of charitable spirit, sensitive, kind, loving. This is a photo we took when we went to a UCCS basketball game. Shawna Lippert is on the left, Michelle, Clyde the Mountain Lion, and me. 

Godspeed Michelle, 

Colleen Stiles

OBITUARY

Michelle Elizabeth Neely

6 February, 1977 – 5 November, 2020

Sunset Memorial Park & Funeral Home

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