Dawn Marie Michels
June 8, 1953 ~ Oct. 23, 2022
Dawn Marie Michels was born on June 8, 1953, to Mary and Floyd Gulliford Jr. in Meeker, Colorado. She was the oldest of four children. The Gulliford family moved around Northwest Colorado where Dawn spent time in the schools of Meeker and Craig and eventually graduated from Hayden.
Shortly after graduating high school, Dawn got married and moved to Grisdale, Washington, where she would have three children. After approximately 10 years, the search for work brought them all back to Meeker, Colorado. Dawn found work at the Pioneers Hospital in the dietary department, and there she worked more than 30 years until her retirement as the dietary department manager.
Her hard work as a single mother was shown by being “The Mom” who endured the weather to attend home football games and showed her support for the team by yelling louder than the cowbells, sitting in the stands every spring watching the entire track team and cheering their accomplishments, enduring years of French horn practice at home and attending the concerts every fall and spring, and suffering quietly to loud car singing to the radio but sitting quietly in the crowd and applauding the school choir.
She lived for those moments as a Mom, Oma and friend, supporting her children and grandchildren and friends’ children in everything they did. Everyone she knew who had a child received one of her crocheted blankets, and everyone that knew her coveted them. After retirement, Dawn moved to Louisiana to be closer to her daughter’s family and enjoy warmer weather in her retirement. She loved to cook and eat good food, especially seafood.
Unfortunately, shortly after moving there she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her strength and will to survive was highlighted by her positivity and infectious smile. Those traits are what endeared her to those in the medical facilities. She was able to receive some treatment and the cancer went into remission for almost a year. Unfortunately, it returned and the fight against it continued. On Oct. 23, 2022, Dawn Marie Michels lost her battle with cancer with her children and grandchildren by her side in the St. Tammany Hospital in Covington, Louisiana.
She is survived by her three children, Kayn (Julia) Michels of Windsor, Colorado; James (Becky) Michels of Meeker, Colorado; Liesha (Roland) Foster of Madisonville, Louisiana; her five grandchildren, Karen, Leslie, Cooper, Avery and Rhys; her sister Gail (Charlie) Frantz; as well as in-laws, friends and their families who are too many to name. She is preceded in death by both of her parents (Mary and Floyd Gulliford Jr.), brothers Mike and Gary Gulliford, the love of her life Alton (Bud) Rasmussen and again too many friends and family to name.
Memorial services will be held at the Fairfield Center in Meeker, Colorado, on May 28, 2023 at 2 p.m.
This was so touching. Well written and seamless.