Michelle Critchfield was born August 29, 1963, to Joyce McDowell Ober.
She was the youngest of three, following Sandra (1946) and Micheal
(1951-1983). Joyce married Charles T. Graham, a civil engineer and this
new little family began to travel the world, calling Abqaiq, Saudi
Arabia, Yuso, South Korea, Pazanan and Tehran, Iran, Bramenhaven,
Germany and Cardon, Venezuela their home. Due to the extensive travel
from job site to job site, Michelle was sent to Saint Catherine’s
Boarding School in Bramley, United Kingdom from 1976-1980. She was the
only American in the all girls Church of England School built in 1885.
She completed Cambridge board O level exams.
From 1980 to 1985, she attended FHSU in Hays, Kansas, and received
her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. She met Wade Critchfield at
the stable, where they both kept their horses in the spring of 1983.
They were married October 15, 1983. The loves of her life were her two
children Hylan Koby, born December 14, 1988, and Bryce Kannen, born
March 19, 1993.
Michelle stayed busy with many jobs: inventory clerk, stable hand,
vet tech, sales assistant, housekeeper, residential painter, dispatch
for Superior Mobile Homes, florist, wife, mother, grandmother, and
caregiver.
On April 17, 2011, Michelle was baptized as one of Jehovah's
Witnesses and wondered why she wasted so much time before dedicating her
life to Jehovah God, as he had blessed her with so much peace and
happiness. She felt blessed to have a wonderful daughter-in-law when
Hylan married Samantha Cano in 2009. Further blessings came with the
birth of Kael and Kaden, who she loved dearly. Michelle was blessed with
the help and moral support of Bryce. She had a beautiful smile on her
face while holding her newest grandson Kasyn, born December of 2021, the
son of Bryce Critchfield and Kaci Davignon. She loved Jehovah, His
organization, creation, her husband, family, friends, traveling,
learning new things, horses, and organizing events. Everyone knew who to
ask for the best party ideas. She succumbed to the wretched illness of
cancer on January 24, 2022. With joy, she looked with eyes of faith to
the time when she is resurrected back here on paradise earth. May she
rest in peace.