Marie Louise Michelson

IN LOVING MEMORY
MARIE LOUISE MICHELSON
June 9, 1924-March 7, 2017



Marie Louise Michelson went home to be with the Lord on March 7, 2017. Marie was born in Corona, Queens, New York on June 9, 1924, and was a devout Catholic. Marie was one of three children and worked as an executive secretary for an advertising agency until she met the love of her life, Donald Michelson. "Donnie and Marie" were married in 1960, and moved to Croton-on-Hudson in 1966, after having two sons, Mark and Paul. Prior to her marriage, Marie attended New York's Julliard School of Music as a striving opera singer. Marie was fortunate enough to make her singing debut at Carnegie Hall and her continued love of music led her to sing at the local Catholic Church for many years as well as other local churches in the New York area. Marie, in her younger years, was fortunate enough to travel to Europe where she gathered many fond memories of her travels to several European countries.

Marie also had a love for cooking and was considered a gourmet cook, boasting over 800 cookbooks collected over 50 years, although there were probably a lot more cookbooks in her home than that!

Marie gave up a singing career to raise her two sons after moving to Croton, where she was very involved in her church and boasted her "domestic engineering" skills by earning the nick name "Mrs. Clean," given to her by her family. Marie was also involved in her two son's after school activities, even became a substitute teacher for the local high school. Marie later quit after she felt her skills were needed at home, taking care of her husband and her two boys.

In 1998, Marie and Donald, along with their oldest son, Mark, moved to Mills River, North Carolina after Donald retired. They settled there because Marie loved the mountains and the quiet, laid-back lifestyle. Marie enjoyed her retirement years spending time with her family and friends and loved to spend the day food shopping and eating out with friends.

Just after their 51st wedding anniversary, Donald passed away and Marie reluctantly moved to Sanford, Florida in 2012. Marie's oldest son, Mark, passed away suddenly in 2005, but Marie stayed strong through both losses and lived on her own for almost three years with the assistance of her daughter in law, Jan. Marie later moved into an assisted living facility where she soon became the popular one, making new friends and sharing family and travel stories.

Marie passed away of natural causes with her family at her bedside. Marie led a long and fulfilling life and will be missed by all her friends and family from New York, North Carolina and Florida.

Her youngest son, Paul Michelson, Daughter in law, Jan Michelson and Marie's only grandson, Christian Michelson, all of Sanford, Florida, survives Marie. Marie also developed a wonderful relationship with her favorite little pet, Chloe Marie, who she quickly grew to love. Marie would always say, "Who would ever think I could love a dog like this!"

Marie is further survived by her youngest sister, Vivian Orofino of Center Moriches, New York, as well as many nieces and nephews, including Marie's God niece, Ria Militan, of New Milford, Connecticut, who showed tremendous support during Marie's final days.

Marie was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Michelson, of Mills River, North Carolina, her son, Mark Augury Michelson, of Mills River, North Carolina, and her brother, Nicolas Savene, of Brentwood, New York.