Michelle Suzanne Quigley

Michelle Suzanne Quigley, our beloved daughter, sister and aunt, passed away on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at home after a lifelong struggle with lupus, a cruel and devastating disease.  Born August 9, 1978, to Phil and Lorraine Quigley, Michelle graduated from Skyline High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Utah. While in college Michelle was diagnosed with lichen planus and Sjogren’s Syndrome , two autoimmune disorders. After experiencing further physical problems she was confirmed to have lupus. The family is forever grateful for the care her doctors provided, especially for Dr. Don Stromquist at the University of Utah Health Center.

After high school Michelle began working at Aetna Behavioral Health where she continued to work until the time of her death. She was a Senior Consultant and data analyst at CVS/Aetna. Michelle was a highly valued member of her team and was grateful for the support and friendship of her team members there. Her team members work from different places in the United States as well as in the Philippines and in Ireland so while not with her in person many warm friendships were formed.

Michelle loved poetry and all sorts of word play. She was elegant in her wording and punctilious about grammar. She loved Shakespeare and poetry and would recite long sections from memory. Her wit could be biting for those who deserved it, but she was kind, generous and loving to her family and others with whom she was close. She loved her doggies, especially her most recent addition – Luna, the labradoodle. She could work magic with an Excel spreadsheet and became an expert at using QuickBase. An artist, she was forced to stop drawing when tremors in her hands made it impossible. It often seemed that one problem after another would steal her talents and her opportunities, but her spirit was strong and her mood remained positive. She worked through the day Wednesday then had yet more medical tests in the late afternoon. She was fatigued but had no inkling she would pass away in her sleep that night. Much loved, she will be much missed.

Michelle is survived by her parents, brother Mark (Amy), her nieces Alexandria and Elizabeth whom she adored, and aunts, uncles and cousins.

Please join us at a Celebration of Life to honor Michelle on Thursday, June 1, at 2:00 p.m. at the South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, 6876 So. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City. She will be interred at the Memorial Mountain View Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lupus Foundation of America  or to the Sjogren’s Foundation.