Michele (Halverson) Michaels

Michele Lynne (Halverson) Michaels, age 38, of Winterset, went home to be with her Lord Jesus Christ Friday, February 11, 2011. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 16th at the First Baptist Church in Winterset. A visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, February 15th at the First Baptist Church in Winterset where the family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. and a sharing of memories service will begin at 7 p.m. Burial will be in the Dallas Cemetery, Dallas, WI at a later date. Memorial contributions may be directed to Grace Christian Academy in Winterset. Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare in Winterset has been entrusted with arrangements. On-line condolences may be directed to the family at www.ochiltree.com. Michele Lynne Halverson, the daughter of Edwin and Sylvia (Balts) Halverson, was born December 5, 1972, in Cambridge, MN. She grew-up in northwestern Wisconsin, and graduated in 1991 from Barron High School, Barron, WI. At an early age, Michele committed her life to the work of Christ. She graduated from Life Pacific College formerly known as Life Bible College in San Dimas, CA, double majoring in Cross Cultural Ministries and Early Childhood Development. Later she was ordained as a pastor with the Foursquare Church in 1997, and returned to Wisconsin, where she served as a pastor at the Barron Foursquare Church as well as teaching at the Growing Lights Christian Academy both in Barron, WI. Michele also served as pastor at the Grace Foursquare Church in Rhinelander, WI and later lived in Sammamish, WA. While in Sammamish, Michele was a teacher at the Sammamish Montessori School and met her future husband, Christopher James Michaels. They were united in marriage on August 16, 2009, in a garden wedding in Barron, WI. In early 2010 they moved to Winterset, IA, where Michele worked as a teacher at the Grace Christian Academy in Winterset. Besides Michele’s love of her Lord Jesus Christ and her family, Michele was passionate about teaching and pastoring to others. She also enjoyed crocheting, reading, playing the piano and guitar, journaling, and doting over her nieces. She is survived by her husband, Christopher James Michaels of Winterset; parents, Edwin and Sylvia Halverson of Winterset; two step-children, Becky (Josh) Glaser of Kirkland, WA and Rachel Wirtz of Bellevue, WA; a brother, Chad (Kerri) Halverson of Winterset; her in-laws, Richard and Susan Wirtz of Wailuku, HI; sisters-in-law, Anne Galko of Wailuki, HI ; Amy (Alan) Hall of Seattle, WA; a step-grandmother, Carol Halverson, of Dallas, WI; six nieces, Emma, Adalyne, and Karsyn Halverson, Simcha Galko and Brienna and Sarah Hall; many aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Vernon and Phyllis Halverson and Lester and Esther Balts.