Claire-Amy Roberts

My husband is in love with Michelle Owens. Not only my husband, but several of our close friends are also in love with Michelle Owens. Well, maybe more than several if I must tell the truth. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, and I am sure that it has been going on longer than I have known Michelle, which was when she joined Crossmen.

So many of us have met as a result of drum corps. Living so closely like we did back then, relationships would happen. We have all been there, when we were young-crushing on the cute guy or pretty girl. We’ve experienced the disappointment when things didn’t work out, that they liked someone else. What happens when that “someone else” is Michelle Owens? You say to yourself, “ Duh! Why wouldn’t they like Michelle Owens-what was I

thinking! Michelle is the obvious choice!” There was no hurt feelings, it was Michelle. All of a sudden you were excited at the prospect of what was to come.

It didn’t just happen to me, it was a regular occurrence. Like I said, the list is long of everyone with guys and girls alike who are in love with Michelle Owens. I’m telling this silly story to put a smile back on your face. I see that smile every time my husband talks about Michelle. Seeing that smile on his face makes me so happy. I’ve seen that smile on so many faces over the years in regards to Michelle. It is one of the most unique and amazing things I will ever experience.

What can I say that everyone else haven’t said already? I am one of many people Michelle touched. What I love about Michelle is how she radiates positive energy. Never have I met a more upbeat, positive, outgoing, kind person. What I admire most is that I have never heard her utter a negative word about anything. She would threaten to “punch someone in the throat”, but she would say it in the nicest way possible.

From the day we met, Michelle and I were friends. One of the best things about true friendship is that you don’t have to talk everyday, but when you do, you pick up right where you left off. As if no time has gone by. When we were lucky enough to catch up, she was always so thoughtful to ask how my mom, grandmom and the kids I babysat were doing.

You know your day/week/month was made when you got a call or a text from Michelle. Just checking on you to see what was going on in your life.

We were lucky enough to get together with a group of friends during Christmas 2014. It was so nice to get together as you can imagine.

When I hear Whitney Houston sing “I Will Always Love You”, I think of Michelle. She would walk around for days singing this when it got stuck in her heard and then stuck it in all of ours. These days that song has more meaning.

My happy memories are when her brother, Bryan, came across a blonde wig at a housing site we were at and came parading on to the field with a bathrobe on stating he was Michelle and didn’t have enough time to get ready for practice! Michelle, Julie and Bryan (as well as everyone) were in hysterics and all three of them were taking turns wearing this wig. You couldn’t tell any of them apart-they were laughing so hard. It was priceless.

Another time, on a particularly hot day on tour, practice was running slower than usual. Things got a little slow on the field for the guard. Unintentionally, Michelle started picking flowers, grass, weeds, sticks, you name it. These all wound up in her hair. She could have doubled as a woodland centerpiece!

We all know what a remarkable woman Michelle is. We have shared so many special, wonderful stories of how she touched each an every one of us.

Jeff will probably say he is the lucky one, that he had Michelle is his life. For Michelle to have someone in her life, to have the love of her life, they would have to be equally as special as she. As we were lucky enough to have

Michelle for a short part of our lives, Michelle had Jeff. In this short time, many of us have gotten to know Jeff. I have never experienced someone be so caring and thoughtful as he is. For Jeff to care for Michelle and seek out every possible avenue for her health and overall well being. The most admirable thing I have ever seen was for Jeff to update the thousands of Michelle’s friends with every detail of her day and care that she received. It has been one of the most kind things and has really brought a community of people into their family. Only Michelle would have someone equally special as she is, in her life.

Michelle was one of my best friends. When you were with her, she made you feel like you were the most important person in the world. She is all of our best friend.

Claire-Amy Roberts

Crossmen 90, 91, 92