Amanda Beth McMichael, 58, of Alderson, died Wednesday morning, December 31, 2025, at her home after many years of living with significant physical disability, which she met with hope and courage. Born June 8, 1967, in Santa Clara, California, she was the daughter of William "Bill" McMichael and Karen Lori Bruce Poile.
As a child, Amanda was known as "Amy," from the French aimer, meaning "love"—a fitting name for someone remembered for her warmth, kindness, and compassion. She grew up in San Francisco, California, where she attended a Chinese immersion school and learned a little Cantonese, before moving to Richmond, Virginia, and then Silver Spring, Maryland for much of her elementary school years. She also spent a year living in Stockton, California with her maternal grandmother, Louella Bruce. Amanda later lived with her family in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and traveled extensively throughout the world, experiences that shaped her interest in people, cultures, and ideas. Another strong influence in that regard was her paternal grandparents. Her grandmother, Helen Dorothy "Dash" McMichael was an American born in India who traveled extensively and her grandfather, Jack Richard McMichael was also a world traveler. Both spent time living in China and they participated in building a cooperative cottage community in Ontario, Canada, that remained an important place for Amanda throughout her life.
Amanda attended high school at Marymount International School in Rome, Italy, and Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, before graduating from Athens High School in Athens, West Virginia. At that time, she lived with her paternal grandparents on their farm. She went on to earn her degree from Concord University, where her grandfather had once been a professor of philosophy, and also completed a study program at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Amanda was first and foremost a devoted mother to her four bright and beautiful children: Jessica, Ian, Leah, and Shaina Grimm. Throughout her life, she held a variety of jobs, including bartending at the Mercer County Moose Lodge, before beginning her long career in public service. For most of her professional life, Amanda served as a health inspector, and she strongly valued and worked for maintaining public welfare. She began as the first health inspector in Mercer County and rose to be Office Chief for the Greenbrier County Health Department. Her work touched the community in countless ways—from the trainings she conducted and the inspectors she supervised, to ensuring public health and safety at local restaurants, residential properties, and the annual State Fair. She was known for being honest, fair, and deeply compassionate, particularly when working with people facing difficult or unsafe living conditions.
In her personal life, Amanda loved animals, traveling, decorating, cooking, and the arts. Social and beautiful, people were naturally drawn to her. Generous by nature, Amanda saw the good in others and was quick to forgive and be supportive of those she loved. She followed local and national politics closely, sought to understand multiple perspectives related to polarizing issues, and enjoyed thoughtful conversation. Those who knew her will remember her intelligence, incredible resilience, and the care she showed to others, even during periods of significant physical challenge.
In addition to her parents and her stepmother, Catherine Lynn McMichael, Amanda is survived by her four children; nine of her grandchildren, Kiarah Grimm, Aiden Ducic, Levi Ducic, Zamirah Steptoe, Quintin Steptoe, Zion Steptoe, Maria Owens, Olivia Grimm, "Samuel" Manuel Luther Moon ; her siblings, Jennifer McMichael, Katherine Schantz, Timothy McMichael, and Gabrielle Poile; and her boyfriend, Bobby Joe Brookman.
A Celebration of Amanda's Life will be held at the John and Lucia Pais Family Fellowship Hall located in the University Point building at Concord University, 1000 Vermillion Street, Athens, WV, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 2 - 4 pm. In lieu of gifts, please donate to the Greenbrier Valley Humane Society https://greenbrierhumane.com/make-a-tribute-gift/ or The United Way of Greenbrier Valley https://www.unitedwaygreenbrier.org/
As a child, Amanda was known as "Amy," from the French aimer, meaning "love"—a fitting name for someone remembered for her warmth, kindness, and compassion. She grew up in San Francisco, California, where she attended a Chinese immersion school and learned a little Cantonese, before moving to Richmond, Virginia, and then Silver Spring, Maryland for much of her elementary school years. She also spent a year living in Stockton, California with her maternal grandmother, Louella Bruce. Amanda later lived with her family in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and traveled extensively throughout the world, experiences that shaped her interest in people, cultures, and ideas. Another strong influence in that regard was her paternal grandparents. Her grandmother, Helen Dorothy "Dash" McMichael was an American born in India who traveled extensively and her grandfather, Jack Richard McMichael was also a world traveler. Both spent time living in China and they participated in building a cooperative cottage community in Ontario, Canada, that remained an important place for Amanda throughout her life.
Amanda attended high school at Marymount International School in Rome, Italy, and Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, before graduating from Athens High School in Athens, West Virginia. At that time, she lived with her paternal grandparents on their farm. She went on to earn her degree from Concord University, where her grandfather had once been a professor of philosophy, and also completed a study program at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Amanda was first and foremost a devoted mother to her four bright and beautiful children: Jessica, Ian, Leah, and Shaina Grimm. Throughout her life, she held a variety of jobs, including bartending at the Mercer County Moose Lodge, before beginning her long career in public service. For most of her professional life, Amanda served as a health inspector, and she strongly valued and worked for maintaining public welfare. She began as the first health inspector in Mercer County and rose to be Office Chief for the Greenbrier County Health Department. Her work touched the community in countless ways—from the trainings she conducted and the inspectors she supervised, to ensuring public health and safety at local restaurants, residential properties, and the annual State Fair. She was known for being honest, fair, and deeply compassionate, particularly when working with people facing difficult or unsafe living conditions.
In her personal life, Amanda loved animals, traveling, decorating, cooking, and the arts. Social and beautiful, people were naturally drawn to her. Generous by nature, Amanda saw the good in others and was quick to forgive and be supportive of those she loved. She followed local and national politics closely, sought to understand multiple perspectives related to polarizing issues, and enjoyed thoughtful conversation. Those who knew her will remember her intelligence, incredible resilience, and the care she showed to others, even during periods of significant physical challenge.
In addition to her parents and her stepmother, Catherine Lynn McMichael, Amanda is survived by her four children; nine of her grandchildren, Kiarah Grimm, Aiden Ducic, Levi Ducic, Zamirah Steptoe, Quintin Steptoe, Zion Steptoe, Maria Owens, Olivia Grimm, "Samuel" Manuel Luther Moon ; her siblings, Jennifer McMichael, Katherine Schantz, Timothy McMichael, and Gabrielle Poile; and her boyfriend, Bobby Joe Brookman.
A Celebration of Amanda's Life will be held at the John and Lucia Pais Family Fellowship Hall located in the University Point building at Concord University, 1000 Vermillion Street, Athens, WV, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 2 - 4 pm. In lieu of gifts, please donate to the Greenbrier Valley Humane Society https://greenbrierhumane.com/make-a-tribute-gift/ or The United Way of Greenbrier Valley https://www.unitedwaygreenbrier.org/
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