Michelle Lynn (Barnes) Reagan

Michelle Lynn Reagan (Barnes), 55, of Moscow, Idaho, passed away on Thursday, August 14, at Pullman Regional Hospital after a two-month battle with NUT carcinoma. Even in the face of immense hardship, she showed us what true courage looks like. She faced this journey with remarkable strength and unwavering courage. We are all incredibly proud of her. We mourn her loss with profound sorrow; we are devastated and lost without her.

Michelle was born on September 18, 1969, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Harold Franklin Barnes and the late Lynda Sue Barnes (Morrison). She grew up in Chattanooga before moving to Arvada, Colorado, during her childhood. After her first year of college, she met her future husband, Kevin, on a blind date their best friends set up. Five years later they were married. Kevin and Michelle began a life full of adventure and love, living in Telluride and Ridgway, Colorado, where they bought their first home and started our family with Katie and then Bodey. Later, they moved to Montrose, Colorado, where Michelle worked as a bank loan officer and helped start our family business, Outsourced IT. For the past 18 years, we have called Moscow, Idaho, home.

For Michelle, family always came first, even as she pursued her education, career, and creative passions. Her children were the center of her world, and they could not have had a more loving and devoted mother.

Education was deeply important to Michelle. She earned a Bachelor’s in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1992. More than twenty years later, she returned to school to complete a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Idaho in 2015. Her career reflected her versatility and determination. She worked in a lab, became a top-performing mortgage officer, and eventually followed her true passion for art and creativity as a graphic designer.

Michelle’s greatest joy was her family. She loved all things arts and crafts. If it involved creativity, she probably tried it. Later in life, she became an avid crocheter, working on projects that often spanned years. On any given weekend you could find her watching a scary movie or reading a Stephen King novel. She had a deep love for Disney, enjoyed traveling to new and interesting places, and sharing those experiences with us. Holidays were always special in our home, filled with gourmet meals and cherished traditions. Michelle had a gift for making celebrations unforgettable, with her party planning magic and love of gift giving.

Michelle is survived by her husband, Kevin Joseph Reagan; her children, Katherine (Katie) Lynn Reagan and Bodey Kincaid Reagan; her father, Harold Franklin Barnes; and her brother, Harold F. Barnes Jr. and his wife, Ginger Barnes. She was preceded in death by her mother, Lynda Sue Barnes (Morrison).

We will hold a celebration of Michelle’s life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to women’s causes or to organizations that support the health and welfare of pets, especially cats, which she loved very much.

We will miss our wife, our mother, our sister, our daughter, our aunt, and our friend. The world is less without her, yet her courage, passion, and love has left an unfading mark on us all. We love you Michelle and will miss you more than any words can express.