Michele L. Abney, age 79, of Helena

A beloved daughter, wife, partner, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, teacher and friend has passed from this earth and is traveling to her next spiritual destination. Michele Lynne Sundby Abney, 79, said goodbye to her family on July 1, 2023, following a courageous battle with Leukemia.

Dark pink sunrises, stone prairie grasses and endless North-Eastern Montana horizons welcomed Michele Lynne, the second daughter of Karnes and Margaret Sundby of Peerless, Montana. Michele was born in Spokane, Washington on November 16, 1943, but spent her early life adventuring in Peerless, a small farming community ten miles from the Canadian border. Upon graduation from Peerless High School in 1961, Michele attended Eastern Montana College in Billings (now MSU Billings). After a year, Michele transferred to Northern Montana College (now MSU Northern) and completed a two year Teachers Certificate.

From Havre, it was off to the bustling oil town of Cut Bank for a year of teaching. To this day, some of her students from CB Elementary School have kept in contact with Michele. From booming Cut Bank, it was back to Northern Montana to complete her BA in Elementary Education. She then taught in multiple districts along the Hi-line, before she trekked to the Queen City of the Rockies and two of her favorite schools, first Hawthorne Elementary and then across town to Bryant Elementary. Michele taught grades 1-6, but loved 5^th grade the most. Michele spent twenty-five years in education, but championed learning her entire life. This was most evident in the way she taught and encouraged her children and grandchildren in everyday tasks to striving for higher education.

Michele had many life-loves, first of which were her son, Trevin, and daughter, Desiree. She valued family above all else, and loved and supported her children to the fullest. Michele was so very proud of their accomplishments in life, from their athletic and academic pursuits, to watching them follow in her footsteps and become loving parents.

Another of her life-loves she initially feared but bravely overcame. Her dad, Karnes, introduced her to horses, but a younger Michele was afraid of them. Later, she learned how to ride and soon owned and competed with some of the most beautiful horses.

Later in life, she met a “Southern Gentleman”,  and together they shared a special adventure, a love of watching car racing. She and her significant other, Doug, embraced the joy of NASCAR, especially following her favorite driver, Kyle Busch. They motor-homed a forty footer multiple times to Homestead Florida, Las Vegas, Sonoma and many other race tracks in the west, always coming back to winter In Arizona. Yessiree, a prairie girl loves warm weather. Michele loved new places. She and Doug traveled to places like Costa Rica, Mexico and Destination Cruising in Europe and coastal North America.

Closer to home, Michele was masterful at whatever she had a mind to do. Farming with her dad was never in the cards, but she could create the most exquisite oasis out of any yard. She would take any of the houses in which she lived and decorate them into beautiful homes that could grace any magazine. Come the holidays, especially Christmas, Michele glowed like her homes! She opened her heart and home to everyone, even to her Native brother-in-law who showed up one Thanksgiving for her feast in a loin cloth. But, alas, that is another Michele story.

Finally, there are her grandchildren. There was never a distance too far for grandma Michele to travel to visit or support her cherished grandsons and granddaughter. She was the happy spectator whether it be at her grandsons’ sporting events or an impromptu living room violin concert performed by her precious granddaughter. At any time throughout the years, Michele so loved to financially gift her grandchildren, be it their educational pursuits or sports. Michele’s generosity reached beyond family to include her church (she would bake food for funerals), or donate to the many social organizations in which she believed.

Michele was preceded in death by her father, Karnes Sundby, her mother Margaret Chicoine Sundby, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.

Michele leaves behind her significant other, Doug Moore; son Trevin (Jennifer) Pappas of Helena; daughter Desiree (Dave) Huttinger of Mill Creek, WA; nephew Lance (Janie)Holmes of Montana City; sisters: Marsha (John) Neill of Stanford, MT, Melissa (Joseph) Anderson of Peerless, MT; grandchildren Payton and Carter Pappas of Helena, Shaylin Rossi and Justin Huttinger of Mill Creek, WA; other survivors include: nephews Chad, Joshua, Gabriel Anderson and Karnes Neill; nieces Elizabeth Casselli and Karissa Anderson; and several great nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends.

A Viewing will be held at 12:00 p.m., followed by a Funeral Service at 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 10, 2023 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N Montana Ave., with a reception to follow the service in the Social Hall of the funeral home. Burial will be held at Forestvale Cemetery.

Service Schedule

Viewing

12:00 p.m.

Monday July 10, 2023

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Funeral Service

1:00 p.m.

Monday July 10, 2023

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Reception

Following the service

Monday July 10, 2023

Social Hall of Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Burial

After the reception

Monday July 10, 2023

Forestvale Cemetery

490 Forestvale Rd.

Helena, Montana 59602

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