Michelene O'Neill Weisbarth (Micki)

1953-2022

Born on August 13, 1953 to Jim and Beth O'Neill in Woodbridge Mass. Micki moved with her parents to Pend Oreille County at the age of two, where she grew up and lived most of her life.

She attended Newport School District and Fort Wright College in Spokane, where she met her loving husband, George Weisbarth, in 1973. They married the following year and had two children, Scott and Christian. The family lived in Spokane and then moved to Tillamook, Oregon for a brief time. Upon returning to the Newport area, they moved back to their five acres near Diamond Lake, where they remained until her passing on June 20 ^th , 2022.

Micki touched and impacted so many lives around her. She loved her community and was proud to participate and promote it any way that she could. As graduation gifts to distant nieces and nephews, she invited them to come and stay at her home, so they could see the area she so loved. She hosted international guests from England and Kenya as part of the Soroptimist international of America.

She tried to make a difference in her community, her family, her church, and worldwide and had fun doing it. She walked the Avon Three Day 60 mile walk for breast cancer and volunteered for that same event the following year. She was the secretary of the Thursday Nighters bowling league for years. Micki was a member of the Pend Oreille County Fair Board and a needle arts judge at the County Fair and Spokane Interstate Fair. She loved quilting and taught classes at various quilt shops in the area. She also donated quilts to organizations and to people who appreciated them.

She was devoted to her church family. She was on the church council, various committees, and chairperson of the Diaconate Committee for many years. When an interim pastor was needed, while Newport United Church of Christ searched for a new pastor, she stepped up on two occasions, once for nine months and the most recent for two years.

Her true life-long love was for Soroptimist International of the Americas. Micki joined the local Newport chapter December 1, 1990. She felt it was truly a place she could make a difference in the lives of women and girls. She quickly was elected president, then district officer, and eventually Northwestern Region Secretary. After serving regional positions, she returned her devotion to the Newport Chapter until she passed. She was on the board and an officer for too many years to count. Her favorite projects were the Live Your Dream Scholarship program and the local annual crab feed fundraiser. She served as local chairperson of Live Your Dream for multiple years as well as serving at the region level. Micki was also the chairperson of the Crab Feed. She loved crab and was always disappointed her shellfish allergy did not allow her to even touch it, let alone eat any. She recruited her "Soroptimisters" to help.

Micki loved her family and cherished her two grandchildren: Connor and Olivia. She had so hoped to someday teach Olivia to make beautiful quilts "like grandma did." She always wished to see the kids grow up and see their weddings. Micki was thought to be the world's best pie maker by many of her family and friends.

Micki and George celebrated their 48 ^th anniversary together on May 18 ^th while she was in the hospital waiting and preparing for a heart transplant. Although she fought a fierce fight, their transplant hopes were thwarted by physical weakness and infections. She succumbed to heart failure as a result.

Micki and George spent 49 years in true love. They enjoyed many things together including ocean cruises, motorcycle trips with friends, seeing the country, bowling, spending time with friends at the river, and traveling with Soroptimists.

Micki was so proud that their two sons, Scott and Christian, had grown to be nice, well respected, and happy young men and that both had found wonderful wives in Amy and Jillian

Over the last five months, Micki mentored George about how to manage the house while she was away for the transplant, lessons that will serve him well as he moves forward. George says they fell more in love than ever during this time.

Micki is preceded in death by her mother Beth O'Neill and her father Jim O'Neill. She is survived by her husband George, sons, Scott (Amy) and Christian (Jill), grandchildren, Connor and Olivia, and siblings, Robin Wright (Gary (deceased), Heidi Genty (Marc), Duane O'Neill (Barb), Shaun Mideke (Bryce) and Darin (Argentina) and a community that loved her.

Services will be held at 10:30 am, Saturday, August 13 ^th at The Priest River Event Center, Priest River, Idaho. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Soroptimist International of Newport. PO. Box 1892 Newport WA, 99156, or Newport United Church of Christ Womens' Fellowship Group. PO Box 959, Newport WA 99156

Sherman-Campbell Funeral & Cremation Services in Newport WA is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at shermancampbell.com .