Michelle Kathleen Scheele

Although the passing was peaceful, it did not come without a furious fight. Michelle was a true warrior to

the very end, battling ferociously as long as humanly possible, and then, when the end was inevitable,

giving in with a courageous calmness and sense of abandon. While in hospital over these final days,

Michelle demonstrated the grit and character that defined her life. Despite experiencing the ravages of

cancer, Michelle made sure to spread her infectious brand of cheerfulness to all around her. She always

had a warm greeting and bright smile for her fellow ward mates, nurses, doctors, and hospital staff, but

don’t doubt for a minute that if she didn’t like something, she let people know as only Michelle could.

Michelle grew up in Kitchener-Waterloo. From the beginning, her social nature and unbridled joy drew

people to her. It was in this way that Michelle established friendships with a group of girls that would last

her entire lifetime. They were with Michelle throughout the early years when she established her fierce

independent nature and struck off at a young age to make her mark on the world by way of the donut

shop and later hairdressing school. With scissors in hand, Michelle again proved her mettle, standing for

hours in four-inch stilettos cutting hair. This is no doubt why Michelle later developed an affinity for her

beloved Vibram five finger (actually toes) footwear, wearing them hiking, biking, dog walking, working,

and even to a wedding once.

Perhaps it was the stilettos that also led to Michelle’s decision to become a Registered Massage

Therapist. She went back to school, and with degree in hand, embarked upon the second phase of her

life. She got her license to practice massage in Ontario, but the call of nature and a wandering spirit were

too strong, and so it was that Michelle made her way to Vancouver in the mid-nineties. It was then that

Michelle met her life partner and husband, Brian. Michelle loved the beauty of the ocean, the mountains,

and the trees. She especially loved hiking in the North Shore forested mountains with her beloved dogs

Jazz and Jet. Given Michelle’s larger than life personality and free-spirited nature, it is no surprise that

her dogs had some wolf in them and were loyal to her to the end.

A need for travel and the love of nature were strong in Michelle. This led to many epic adventures over

the years. She was able to check off a major bucket list trip of a lifetime when she travelled to Uganda

where her brother Reinier was living at the time. She also went on major expeditions to Thailand and

Vietnam with many stops in between. Another favourite destination was Sedona, Arizona with its

majestic landscapes and hikes. These are but a few of the travels that Michelle was able to take in her

bid to experience all that the world had to offer.

All the while, Michelle made sure to return frequently to her hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo to spend

time with the family who meant so much to her. Her father John, mother Alice, and brothers Reinier and

Thies, along with their families, brought her great joy and comfort. These trips back east to see family

always reinvigorated Michelle and kept her connected to her roots.

Of course, her exceptionally social nature and loyal to the bone girlfriends also motivated her return.

Michelle inspired exceptional friendships, both in Ontario and in British Columbia. She had such an

incredibly vibrant, yet delightfully feisty personality, that anyone who met Michelle was instantly drawn to

her. She filled every room she entered with genuine joy, laughter, warmth, kindness, and generosity.

Michelle was a once in a lifetime, bigger than life character who left an indelible mark on all who knew

her. Michelle will be missed but never forgotten and will live on in our memories for all eternity.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to one of the following charities in Michelle’s name:

https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/

https://bccancerfoundation.com/events/signature-fundraisers/workout-to-conquer-cancer/

https://www.northshorerescue.com/