On rare occasions in our lives, we are fortunate enough to experience the friendship and presence of individuals who bless and enrich our lives in ways that leave an indelible impact. For me, that person was my long-time best friend and unfailing supporter, Michele Allen, ’83, who passed away this past February. I know that she had a strong positive impact on many of you, as well.
I have had the privilege, along with Jan Mampel Colwill, ’83, of planning a “memorial shelf” for Michele at the Andrews Library, in honor of her work as a librarian and her lifelong love of learning and imparting knowledge to others. Michele believed strongly in education, recognizing its role in self-improvement and self-empowerment , and appreciating the joy of learning and discovering new knowledge and new perspectives. She very much wanted that for others, and enjoyed encouraging and supporting the efforts and goals of both her students and her friends.
Michele believed in, and excelled in, finding solutions to problems and difficulties, instead of just wallowing in them. She faced her own trials with dignity, grace and strength, and always encouraged others to do the same.
Michele understood the value and importance of friendship and embodied what it meant to be a true friend; loyalty, caring, support, encouragement, and never giving up. To experience her friendship was to possess a true treasure. No matter what you were facing, she always had ideas and was ready with support and encouragement. She believed in people even when, and sometimes especially when, they didn’t believe in themselves; she believed everyone had potential and purpose. She didn’t hesitate to go to bat for you.
And now it is time for us to go to bat for her. We are currently accepting donations for the memorial shelf in the Andrews Library. The shelf will have books that will exemplify her love of learning and her wide range of interests and knowledge, and that can be utilized by Andrews students for both personal and academic purposes. We would like to hold the memorial dedication in mid-December.
I fully realize that times are tough economically for many of us and we must be careful with our funds. But any donation, no matter how small, will be welcomed, and you will be helping to honor the memory of one who cared so much about Andrews and believed strongly in its mission and purpose. The deadline is November 1, 2009. We sincerely thank you for any contribution that you are able to make.
I will also be putting together a “memory book” that will share stories and memories of Michele and honor her life. If you have anything you’d like to share, please feel free to email it to me at premierparalegal@gmail.com. Please email it by November 15, 2009. Thank you so much for your time, consideration and, if possible, contribution!
Sincerely,Lisa A. Lynott-Carroll, ‘83
