Maria P. Michel

1934 - 2022

February 14, 1934 - August 18, 2022 Our beloved Maria Paula Michel passed away on, August 18, 2022, after a brief illness. Maria was born on Valentine's Day, 1934, to Joseph and Yolanda Masiello in Jamaica Queens, New York. She was raised in a home shared with her grandparents, an aunt and two cousins. After graduating from high school, her first job was at a printing company. Maria fell in love with California and Los Angeles after visiting a family member there. Along with her parents, Maria packed her bags & moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
She met her future husband, Uwe Michel, after working at the same company. They were devoted to each other & happily married for 58 years. Maria then got a job with Pacific Telephone and later AT&T, where she worked 20 years before her retirement.
Maria enjoyed reading, listening to operas and bands and singers of the 40's and 50's, sailing in Maine and watching baseball. She was an avid Angel fan. Her family always enjoyed her good cooking, especially her Christmas Eve meal. Uwe and Maria enjoyed visiting Italy. She especially loved visiting Formia, where her father was born, and her mom's parents were from.
She was passionate about two organizations, Childhelp USA and the Encino Oaks Republican Women's Federated Club. She served in many leadership roles, including president for both organizations. She was loved and respected by all.
Maria will be remembered for her upbeat personality, generosity, thoughtfulness, smile, and joyful laugh and demeanor. She was full of life and brought so much joy to so many.
She is survived by her husband, Uwe Michel, his brothers and their wives, Juergen and Marsha Michel, Wolfgang and Janet Thomsen, loving nieces and nephews, John Michel, Jaci Lawson, Cindy Cole, Russell Michel, Sandi Metzner, Doug Thomsen, Kristi Thomsen, and many great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Yolanda Masiello and her mother-in-law, Elfriede Thomsen. She was well loved by all and will be dearly missed.
A funeral service is scheduled for 10:30 am, September 22, 2022, at Mission Hills Catholic Cemetery, 11160 Stranwood Ave, Mission Hills, CA.
Those wishing to honor her life can make a donation to Childhelp USA: 6730 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 150, Scottsdale, AZ 85253.