Sometime in the late evening of July 6th 2010, Michelle Stringham elevated to the next level, leaving her physical body behind. Her body and touch are no longer with us, however, her spirit is still alive, energetic and will be eternally giving, guiding and loving. This is an unexpected tragedy to our family. Her personality was so large, colorful and definitive that it will take her entire community to fill this vast loss through acts of remembrance, love and continued celebration of her life and lessons. “Mom didn’t make friends, Mom made family.” My Mom was a woman who defined herself by the complexities of the world. She was an international woman of travel who expressed her passions through her spice cabinet and hot pans over the Wolf stove. As her loving husband and our loving father Chuck provided the building materials, it was her that built our home with every detail guided through heart, it was her that somehow made profound familial sense out of 7 kids from 3 marriages. She was a woman that would guide you and make you realize your worst fears only so you could truly overcome to be a better human. She was the one who taught us to be grateful. Her experience here will live on far more than just her family, she was a mother, friend, sister, auntie, grandma and counselor to a network of people that will continue to live by her lessons and forever love her for them. May she rest in energy.
-Aden
What’s Happening
We would like to warmly extend an open invitation to all who can attend our potluck this Sunday afternoon, July 11th 2010. We intend to start welcoming everyone around 1PM and dont intend to say goodbye until we’re all good and ready. Being the home cooked foodie our mother was, we request that everyone bring something healthy, delicious and thoughtful, preferably sweated over in your kitchen. Being the amatuer sommalier that she was, we are also open to fruity, rich pinot noirs, crisp, dry and citric savignon blancs and tannic south amercian malbecs. Most of all WE WANT YOU! We want your memories, your love, your thoughts, your opinions, your music and your positive attitude. Make no mistake this will be a colorful celebration of her life and the spirit of color, taste, memory, love and forward thinking. My mother was not one to rush or pressure people into hurrying up. To all of our dearly loved ones who can not make this date, it is equally important for us to stress that you need not feel guilt or remorse for not being able to make this particular celebration. We are in the process of putting together a second remembrance ceremony in late August, please keep in touch with this site for more information regarding the next event. I cannot stress how omnipotent my mother was in living, now that she is without the boundaries of her physical self, she truly and fully is. By saying this, we are asking that everyone involved that is not able to make it here on sunday, please take a moment to put together a special ceremony wherever you are. She will be with you wherever you are, she always knew us like that.
Much love,
Stringham-Catalani-Dugas family
How you can participate
This process needs time, thought and communication. Because mom had the knack of making friends all over the world and our family happens to be all over the world, we would like this blog to be an open forum for sharing pictures, memories and thoughts. We understand that having so many loved ones all over the place makes it unreasonable to request that everyone be at a certain place at a certain time to think certain thoughts. We are completely open hearted to participating, and networking to help facilitate other events to celebrate Michelle’s life. Please use this platform to bring ideas into fruition.
Discussion of how Michelle has touched us all may be carried on here.
A forum for planning celebrations of her life may be carried on here.
Current listings of life celebrations of Michelle can be found here.