Michelle was born on December 28, 1960 in Flint, Michigan to Joyce (Leach) and Carlton Dickens. Michelle passed away on February 22, 2022 in St. James Hospital, Butte Montana.
She was preceded in death by her brother Michael Dickens and her step-father Richard Mantey who she loved very much.
Michelle was married to Edward Helm on July 28, 2017. She was the love of his life. He survives her. She is also survived by her mother Joyce Mantey, brother Marty (Lois) Dickens of Michigan. Children Justin Mann and Mariah Dickens of Michigan. Grandchildren Abel and Hunter Mantey, Derek and Christopher Figoli of Colorado. Her In-Laws Gloria and Jim Rogers, Butte, Brother-in-law Thomas Helm, Kremlin, MT. Also, nieces and nephews and many cousins and friends throughout the country.
Michelle graduated from Western High School in Auburn, Michigan as an honor student with a 4.0. She was very active in school sports and especially enjoyed track, earning many awards. She was also an excellent swimmer. She was an accomplished artist both drawing and painting. After High school she was offered the opportunity to attend Perdue and pursue mechanical drawing. However, she did attend Delta College in Michigan for a time.
Michelle lived in Florida, Texas and Colorado. In Montana she lived in Lincoln and West Yellowstone before coming to Butte with Ed. She wore many hats during her work life as a cashier, bartender and cook. She was a great cook, preparing delicious meals and sharing cookies and treats with everyone.
Michelle had a very kind loving heart. She had a generous spirit and made friends wherever she went. She will be missed by many. She was a great cook and made fantastic cookies.
Michelle had a great love of animals. During the time she lived in West Yellowstone she had befriended a fox, who would come to her door looking for a treat. She loved her fur babies, three Siamese cats, Moki, Peanut and Snicky and her dog Axel. They were all rescues. She loved feeding the birds and watching the activity at her feeder. She also fed the little feral cats who came to her door.
Michelle is a direct descendent of Charles Dickens and therefore she loved to write. Michelle’s great grandparents had a farm in Michigan where she fell in love with horses. When she was a junior in high school, she worked at a large horse farm. She enjoyed riding and helping to train the horses and especially loved the Arabians.
A memorial service will be held at a later date and her ashes spread at that time.
Please visit below to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Michelle.
Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services has been privileged to care for Michelle and her family.
Mike Smith says
Michelle was pure sweetness. Just sweetness. She and Ed are the greatest neighbors I have ever had in all the places I have lived. Michelle brought me meals, baked me sweets, loved my dogs, called when Keeper jumped the fence, and brightened every day I saw her. What a wonderful picture here. That smile. God I will miss that smile – for now. See you on the other side Michelle.
Jamie says
Michelle was the most unique lady I have ever met. she had a heart of gold and would do anything for anybody. I remember living across the street from her and Ed and she saw me and my dog in our pool and came over and joined us. Fun times with her she will be missed
Josh M Peck says
Ed and family, I was very saddened to hear about Michelle. I loved how both of you just glowed the day you got married.
My deepest sympathy to you and all who knew and loved her. A beautiful memorial written above, a real tribute of love l.
Justin Mann says
Well mother…. You’ve finally finished the race. I am saddened by the 10 or so times you visited home to see us. But what I do know is you were loved by a lot of people. I’m very happy that I got the opportunity to make peace with you a year or so ago. Your race is over your pain is no more. You made the best of what was given to you and I’m happy for that. Wish I could have known you more. God decided to call an angel home early. Bask in his love and light. Ed will carry on your legacy. Never got the chance to meet him but I know he added very many last happy years to you life and I am grateful for that. Your granddaughter Hannah is a runner and so is Remington your Grandson. Hannah like to draw too. She got that from you mom. Till we meet again… I love you and know your watching over us.
With all the Love,
Justin Edward Mann
Laurie M Holland says
Michelle was a good person with a huge heart, she would do anything for anyone and was happy to be there when you needed her. A couple of years ago, my roof had an ice jam and we found a way to melt it, fill nylons with rock salt, she went to BSW and found nylons that were so old, they could have been sold as antiques but they worked out so well. She would always bring up her special Pasties when my son was in town. I will miss her tremendously, she had gone through many health scares but always came out, a little bruised but her spirit was always positive, I had talked to her 2 nights before she passed and she knew she was sick but we both said she would pull through, You are missed my friend, one in a million, Rest in Peace, Love, Laurie, Kevin and Charlie
Mariah Mantey says
“A letter to my mother”
Dear Mom,
It took me awhile to know what to say. There are so many thoughts that have been running through my mind since I was told that you passed away. Emotions that have made me feel confusion, sadness, anger, guit, resentment, love. There are so many things that I want to say to you. I am not always the best at making the sense of things unless I have time to process and address. The best way that I can express what I want to say in words is I have put together songs for you. And I will go through and write after each song starting at the beginning of our time and our lives. Mother and daughter start to finish. All the emotions that I have battled come down to one thing. I am sorry I didn’t get the chance to make amends with you before you passed. I am partly to blame for that too. Now I need you to know that I forgive you and I love you. I am coming to terms that there is nothing that I can do about the time that you had on this Earth. What I can do is what I have to do for my own children. I have to forgive you for me so that I can move forward and be the best mother that I can be for my boys. I can start a new chapter in my life of love. Loving you not for your mistakes but for your soul and the fact that I know deep down you always loved me. Everything will be ok. I wanted to share this because it has been a long road. I love you. Till I see you again one day.
With all my love to you Mom,
Mariah
1.) Demi Lovato – “For the Love of a Daughter”
2.) Demi Lovato – “Shouldn’t Come Back”
3.) Ellie Goulding – “You’re Biggest Mistake”
4.) Demi Lovato – “World of Chances”
5.) Kellie Pickler – “I forgive you”
6.) Vince Gill – “Go Rest High on That
Mountain”