Michelle Lynn (Grife) Bartell

This website is in memory of our beautiful Michelle Lynn (Grife) Bartell born December 25th, 1963 in Fairbanks, Alaska and was suddenly taken from us in a tragic accident on October 10th, 2009. You will always be remembered and forever in our hearts. 

 

                                                       

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting the website of Michelle Lynn (Grife) Bartell.  This site is dedicated to the memory of Michelle.  She is very much loved and remembered by her family and friends.  Your love and support means so much to all of us and very much appreciated.  Although she is now in Heaven, her memory remains with us and would like to share it with family and friends.                                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bartell, Michelle L. age 45, of Ramsey, tragically passed away on October 10th in an auto accident while being a good Samaritan on I35 in Forest Lake. Preceded in death by her grandparents. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, mother and friend and was always willing to help others. She was born in Fairbanks, AK and her family moved to Deer River, MN when she was 13. She graduated from Deer River HS in 1982. Michelle enjoyed spending time with her family; camping, garage sale-ing, and playing cards with her mom. She was a devoted mother who was involved in many activities & sports, always cheering her children on. Her passions were for Women's Heart Association and gardening; always competing against her dad to see who had the biggest & best tomatoes. Michelle was employed at Medtronic for the past five years. Survived by children, Greg, Heather and Nick; parents, Clifford & Geraldine Grife; sisters, Arlene (Tim) Grife of Anderson, MO, Pam (Mark) Payne of Deer River, MN and half-brother, Hoagy Hogue of Sacramento, CA; nephews, Sean Schneider and David Peck; nieces, Lisa Evans, Sara Wilson and Jamie Schneider. Visitation to be held Wednesday, 4-7 PM at the Carroll Funeral Home, Deer River, MN. Funeral services to be held Thursday, 1 PM at Bethany Lutheran Church, Deer River, MN. A celebration of her life will be held locally Saturday, Oct. 17th from 1:30 - 3:30 PM at the Elm Creek Apartments/Community Room, Champlin, MN. Memorials preferred to the family.  

                                    

The Dragonfly

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads,

there lived a little water beetle in a community of water

beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond

with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of

their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and

would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their

friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge

to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would

not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what

he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the

surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so

warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body

changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful

blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body

designed for flying.

So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole

new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never

known existed.

Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking

by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and

explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been

before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could

not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he

understood that their time would come, when they, too, would

know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off

into his joyous new life!

~Author Unknown~