Michelle Dyson

1966 - 2018

Michelle Anne Zawrotny Dyson of Boulder - beloved mother, daughter, sister and friend - crossed over peacefully on Thursday, March 22, 2018, after a short yet heroic journey with pancreatic cancer. Born in 1966 in Peekskill, New York, she graduated from Ithaca College and worked in marketing and PR in New York and San Francisco before landing in Boulder in 2000. Here, in her own words, she became a "certifiable left-wing, chicken-owning, granola-eating, Crocs-wearing, homemade-yogurt-making, Prius-driving, Nia-dancing, Buddhist-chanting, backyard-organic-farming, hippie-pinko-leftie-liberal-communist-socialist, recycling and composting Democrat, who still shaves." She married Rick Dyson in 2001, and together they produced her two greatest accomplishments, her children Frederic "Fritz" Eckhart Dyson, IV, 16, and Anneliese "Annie" Jade Dyson, 13. Although Michelle had a shorter-than-average life span, she did not live an average life. She was a tireless champion for the autism community and volunteered countless hours for Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of Boulder County. Most recently, she worked as Marketing Director for Boulder-based Deeper Africa. Her work took her on safari in Kenya and Tanzania, an experience so incredible that she hoped to return one day with her children. Michelle was hilarious, stylish, irreverent, and creative. She delighted her neighbors every Halloween by decorating the pick-up truck in front of her home with politically-themed skeleton vignettes. She loved to cook, using the vegetables from her garden and adding her own touch to recipes culled from her beloved New York Times. Michelle is survived by her ex-husband, Rick, and her two children, Fritz and Annie; her mother and father, Gayle and Bernie Zawrotny; her brother, Jeff Zawrotny, and his wife Lisa; and a million sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. She leaves behind a legion of friends, admirers, and co-workers, and a large group of heartbroken fellow Autism Moms. She wanted to travel, watch her kids grow up, plan the next girls' night out, dress up in costume for any occasion, savor a glass of 15-year-old Scotch, laugh inappropriately at every opportunity, and enjoy the privilege of growing old but not too old. Her regrets include getting her bangs cut in the summer of 2016, missing out on shooting off New Year's Eve fireworks in her neighborhood this year, and that she didn't die driving a car off of a cliff with Geena Davis. She was funny, flinty, and full of life. It was a privilege to spin in her raucous orbit, even for a short time. There will be a private memorial service for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Michelle's honor to the Autism Society of Boulder County: autismboulder.org or P.O. Box 270300, Louisville, CO 80027.