Michelle Sue Thompson Jamison

Michelle Sue Thompson Obituary

12/31/1959 – 12/29/2024

Michelle was a 1959 New Year’s Eve baby. She died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her family, just two days shy of her 65th birthday after a long battle with cancer. She loved her husband Paul, her daughter Johanna, and her dogs Jack and Mojo. She loved her brother Mike, her niece Jennifer, her nephew Tommy, and she loved her California Cousins, Lucky, Vicki, and Robbie. Michelle is loved back by all of them and by many others.

Born in Idaho Falls, ID, Michelle was raised by her father in Carmichael, CA , and Kelso, WA, and by her mother in Wood River, IL. She spent some summers with her “Mammy and Andad” in Jenner, CA, a place that would remain important to her throughout her life, and where she would one day marry. Michelle had a special bond to her California Cousins with whom she shared many childhood memories and stayed close until the end.

Michelle started college at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and finished with a Bachelor’s Degree in Range Science from Utah State University. After graduating from USU, she served 2 years in the Peace Corps in Honduras where she helped start a tree nursery and taught sustainable agricultural practices. Friendships formed there were renewed in 2023 at a 40 year reunion of volunteers she had served with in Honduras.

Michelle met Paul in 1986 while both were working as research technicians in the Range Department at USU. For Paul, it was love at first sight, but Michelle would take some convincing. They were married in 1989, added a beautiful daughter, Johanna, and stayed married for over 35 years until Michelle’s passing. Michelle’s career path eventually led her to microbiology, where she applied her knowledge to plant propagation and biomedical equipment. Along the way, Michelle started Magpie Produce, Cache Valley’s first certified organic Community Supported Agriculture garden, and she teamed-up with her dog Jack for Utah Search Dogs to do Search and Rescue work. Michelle and Jack went on many exciting searches together, and those two were joined at the hip until the end. 

Michelle loved dog walks and wide open spaces. She loved to camp in remote parts of the Great Basin, to sleep outside under the stars, and to be woken up smothered by dogs. She loved being served coffee in bed. Michelle loved visits to the cabin in Jenner and sunsets at Goat Rock beach. She loved to garden and she loved to watch things grow. She wrote about seeds and other wonders of nature, and she painted lovely watercolor landscapes. She was better than she knew. Michelle loved adventure. She learned to scuba dive and traveled with her family to Belize to explore coral reefs. She rode a tiny submersible into the darkness of the Cayman Trench off Roatan to see mysterious animals over 1,000 feet deep in the ocean. She zip-lined in the Redwoods and rafted and canoed Desolation Canyon of the Green River.

Above all, Michelle was a gentle and searching soul. She adapted many of the tenets of Buddhism and she knew that she is connected to everything. Michelle practiced meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi. She went alone on extended retreats to isolated places to learn more about herself and her place in the universe. Michelle gave freely of her time and energy and volunteered for many causes, including animal welfare, refugee support, and incarcerated women. Perhaps her greatest gift of all was nurturing her husband and daughter in their pursuits. She made many selfless sacrifices to support their endeavors and ensure their success. Michelle was a very kind, nurturing and giving person. She is gone too soon and will be dearly missed.

Michelle was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Wanda. She is survived by husband, Paul, daughter, Johanna, brother, Mike, her California Cousins Lucky, Vikki, and Robbie, niece Jennifer, nephew Tommy, and by her dogs Jack and Mojo. 

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com

Contributions can be made to the American Indian College Fund

There will be a Memorial Service in the spring - TBA