Michèle was a board certified dermatologist in Manhattan, specializing in Mohs skin cancer surgery. She cared deeply about her patients, and was extremely proud of being able to help them through the difficulties of a cancer diagnosis.
Michèle grew up in Locust Valley, N.Y., the second of four children. She graduated from Friends Academy in 1989 and received her B.A. from Dartmouth College. After completing her post baccalaureate premedical work at Bryn Mawr College, she graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine with Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honors.
After a lifetime on the east coast, Michèle headed west in 2000 to train as a dermatology resident and Mohs surgery fellow at the University of California - San Francisco. She loved her years there, exploring her new city and looking for places to hike or run. She was an avid tennis player, swimmer and skier. Michèle was a true athlete at heart.
Michèle was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend. After her medical training, she settled in New York City to be close to her family, especially her older sister, Dr. Joëlle Pauporté, who was battling breast cancer. Michèle did everything she could to support Joëlle and her young daughter, and spent as much time as she could making memories with them. In 2004, Michèle and Joelle created “Light One Little Candle”, a non-profit organization that provides picture books and chapter books to children who have a parent battling cancer. After Joëlle’s death, Michèle served as a board member and continued to honor her sister’s legacy.
But of all the titles and roles that Michèle held, her proudest was mother to her two young children, Tiger Pauporté Patton and Samantha Joëlle Pauporté. She shared with them her love of reading and taught them to skate and ski. Michèle built her life around her son and daughter and loved them with all of her heart.
In addition to her children, Michèle is survived by her parents, Dr. Joyce Pauporté, a pediatrician in Manhattan, and Dr. Jacques Pauporté, a retired surgeon in Brussels, Belgium. She is also survived by her sister Chantal Pauporté of New York City, her brother Pierre Pauporté of New York City, her niece Halle Wagner of West Hartford, CT, and her circle of heartbroken friends.
A memorial service will held on October 6, 2019 at 1 PM at the Meeting House, Friends Academy, 270 Duck Pond Road, Locust Valley, NY. Donations may be sent to:
Eluna at https://elunanetwork.org/donate/
Friends Academy at https://www.fa.org/give
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