Michelle Klein Tubbs

Tubbs, Michelle Klein July 6, 1976November 12, 2016 Michelle Klein Tubbs, of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., died Saturday from metastatic breast cancer complications. Her final week was a peaceful one spent at home, flooded with love and support from her family and close friends. Michelle was born in Buffalo, New York, then moved to Ohio later in her childhood. She enjoyed skiing at Bristol Mountain and playing with her three older sisters. They swam, biked, camped and boated together. She had many pets growing up, with her favorite being a little black kitty named "Chocolate." She graduated from Canfield High School in 1994, and earned her B.F.A. from Bowling Green State University in 1998. Michelle's keen sense of aesthetics made her an outstanding graphic designer. She was most recently a freelance designer at ruBee Creative, where she crafted numerous logos, websites and print projects. Michelle married her best friend, Brian Tubbs, on September 11, 1999. The couple had two children: Connor in 2004, and Charlotte in 2012. Michelle was a devoted, loving mother and wife, and she made so many sacrifices to buy as much time as she could with her family. Her good nature, empathy and humor will undoubtedly live on in her sweet boy and girl. Michelle was alive half the number of years that most people are, yet in that time, she made an incredible impact on so many lives. Her positive attitude and determination helped her see opportunity in place of obstacles. Perhaps her greatest legacy is the Young Survival CoalitionDetroit Chapter's Face 2 Face networking group, which she founded in 2008 after she was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30. For the past eight years, she focused her energy on supporting fellow breast cancer patients and survivors, raising disease awareness, fundraising for research and educating others on integrative therapies. Michelle's unfading drive to help others was noticed in 2012, when she was featured in Mitch Albom's Heart of Detroit series, and again in 2015, when she received the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute's Heroes of Breast Cancer Award. The goodness she created will endure in the lives of all the young survivors she befriended. Michelle had a magnetic personality. She had A LOT of friends. She believed in the goodness of all people and made you want to be a better person. She loved music, singing, traveling and, most of all, laughing contagiously. She saw every funny movie and was a master of reciting lines. She was courageous and gracious. And she was organized one friend joked that the first thing she probably did when she reached Heaven was make a to-do list. She lived well beyond her prognosis, which she credited to her deep spirituality and integrative therapies. When social media feeds became flooded with news of Michelle's passing, bitter election arguments were instantly transformed into pure compassion and light. How fitting for her life story to end with sunshine. She truly made the world a better place. And she can now enjoy anything she wants to eat or drink no strict ketogenic diet! Michelle is survived by her husband, Brian; two children, Connor and Charlotte; her parents, Alice and Arthur Klein of Canfield, Ohio; her sisters, Debbie Mortimer (Cliff) of Trussville, Alabama, Barbara Maras (Greg) of Canfield, Ohio, and Darlene Klein Kreder of Broomfield, Colo.; her parents-in-law, Gail and Stewart Tubbs of Ann Arbor, Mich.; her sister-in-law, Kelly Tubbs Campbell (John) of Mendota Heights, Minn.; nine nieces and nephews; and countless family members and friends who adored her. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Charlotte and Richard May, and Laura and Homer Klein. There will be a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 19, at St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church, 157 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Farms. All who attend are invited to a Celebration of Life event and luncheon afterward at Assumption Cultural Center, 21800 Marter Road, St. Clair Shores. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Metavivor, which fuels metastatic breast cancer research, online at Metavivor.org; or to her children (make checks payable to Brian Tubbs and mail c/o Kelly Tubbs Campbell, 1300 Medora Road, Mendota Heights, MN 55118). Michelle's family thanks Dr. Carrie Dul and the oncology team at Van Elslander Cancer CenterSt. John Providence for their tireless, compassionate care, as well as the Reverence Home Health & Hospice nurses who made Michelle comfortable in her final days.

Funeral Home:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe

20705 Mack Avenue

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236