Michelle Gillam

Michelle "Mickey" Gillam died peacefully on December 19th, 2024 in her home. Mickey was born in Montana to Harry and Marjorie Sagendorf and was an only child. She was raised in Montana and she went to Junior High and High School in Bridger, Montana. She went to college at Northwest College in Powell, WY. She married Bill Gillam there and was married for 54 years. She lived in Wyoming for over 40 years. She and her husband owned and operated a motel/coffee shop in Hulett, Wyoming before moving. They moved closer to their grandchildren in Grand Junction, Colorado and had been here the last 8 years. She is survived by her husband Bill Gillam of Grand Junction, CO, her daughter Misti Gillam of Grand Junction, CO, daughter Stormi Gillam, and her wife Jill Henry of Santa Rosa, CA, granddaughters Raina Scott and Lisa Gillam-Scott, both of Grand Junction, CO, her special cousin Janie O’Brien of Billings, MT, her sister–in-law Nancy Nash of Port Angeles, WA, her best friend Laura Lynn of Hulett, WY.

Mickey was always quick with a smile, and had a great sense of humor. She loved the outdoors and spent so many summers camping, boating, fishing, fossil and rock finding, four-wheeling and traveling with family and friends. Mickey and Bill would be found with their dogs as they went with them on all their adventures. She could always recommend a good read as she was a lifelong reader. Her last job before retiring was as a librarian. She loved flowers, and her home was always surrounded by her beautiful flowers. She was great at crocheting and had started painting rocks. She was hiding rocks for people to find. Those rocks are scattered all over Colorado and Utah.

She and her family were a part of a genetic medical study of Alport syndrome, a hereditary kidney disease. The researchers found the gene for Alport syndrome in the 1980s partially due to her family history.

Mickey chose not to have a memorial service. Her ashes were scattered near Castle Valley, UT.