Michelle Lee Conway

Service Details

A celebration of her life will be held in Arizona at a later date.

Michelle Lee (nee: Sturman) Conway, 54, passed away on Monday, January 27, 2020, surrounded by the love of her family after a very private battle with breast cancer. She was born in Kenosha on August 27, 1965, the daughter of Robert and Leone “Lee” (nee: Mascarette) Sturman.

Michelle graduated from Washington Park High School in 1983 and earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from Carthage College; she then completed a master’s degree in Administrative Leadership at UW Milwaukee. On November 5, 1994, she began a new partnership in life with Scott Conway.

During her career, Michelle was employed  by American Express, Accenture Business Management, and most recently, with Wells Fargo Corporation as a Project Manager.

After achieving her dream of moving to the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, in 1997, another dream came true. Her first daughter, Taylor Lee Conway, was born on February 21, 2001. On May 22, 2003,  the birth of Amanda Faith Conway completed what we now call our family. These two girls were led by a woman filled with goals, life lessons, laughter, and the most love and support any daughter could get from a mother. Michelle was all about her family which was her world, her passion, and her greatest treasure in life.

Sharing the closeness of having a twin was a huge part of her identity throughout her life and not “just” a twin. She and her sister, Ro, could actually feel and sense things, even when they weren’t together. It was definitely a connection not understood or experienced by others.

Michelle lived life to the absolute fullest. With her dogs at her side, she was always happy and laughing, always willing to help, or just listen. Her fun-loving, kind spirit was apparent to all who crossed her path. Her insane displays of Halloween and Christmas decorations were admired and enjoyed by all. She loved watching the Packers and spending as much time as possible in the  outdoors. Whether camping over the years with Nick, Trish, Cam, Tara and the kids or traveling to the beaches of Rocky Pointe, Mexico, over Spring Break with Katie, Rick and the kids, she was always ready to go. She never passed up the chance to ride the trails in the UTV’s with May, Chris, and the kids. She fulfilled another dream by spending many incredible weekends with family and friends at our cabin in the tall pines and cool temperatures of Northeastern Arizona. This was her therapy, her mental reset, a place where she would gather strength  for the battle she knew she would never win. To know her, to see her, no one would ever guess she was dealing with the knowledge that her life would soon be over. Even behind the scenes at home, she always laughed, was happy and uplifting. That was just Michelle: the strongest, most capable, passionate, and loving person I’ve ever known.I can’t possibly state it any better than I did in my recent 25^th Anniversary tribute:

Our house would never have become a home without you. Our kids would never have understood the meaning of family without you. I would have never experienced true love and happiness without you. To my wife who has shown me what  love really is, who was the reason for my happy days and my comfort in the sad ones, who cheered my successes and encouraged me in my failures: you showed me what true strength and courage really looks like. You took those rainy days and still managed to laugh and live happier more than most. You took life’s challenges, called it a bitch, and kept moving forward. I am so thankful you chose me with whom to share your life. I am so proud to be your husband and thankful our girls have you as their example. To my girl: I love you beyond what love is. There will never  be a day that goes by, as long as I am alive, that I won’t think about how much I miss you. How does my life go on without you? That’s the battle I will fight every day. You will always be the first thing I think of when someone says, “Make a wish”………………

Michelle is survived by her husband, Scott; her daughters, Taylor and Amanda; her father, Robert “Bob” Sturman; her inseparable twin sister, Rochelle “Ro”(nee:Sturman)(Mike) Gazda; her brother Robert (Suzy) Sturman; her sister, Jill (Aaron) Sturman; her father-in-law, Mike Conway; her sister-in-law, Shelly Conway; her step-brothers, Mike (Anne) Takerian, Danny (Myra) Takerian, Jim (Jimmers) Takerian; her nieces and nephews, Julie, Zack, Lauren, Sean, Jordy, Sean, Alyssa, and newest addition, Westy; her puppies, Cali and Gigi; other dear relatives, caring neighbors, and many friends….too numerous to mention all by name.

Michelle was preceded in death by her mother, Leone “Lee” (Nee: Mascarette) Takerian, stepfather, Thomas “Tom” Takerian, and mother-in-law, Sue Conway.