Michelle Dickens-Weil

Michelle Dickens Weil (October 4, 1965 – December 31, 2021), of Ashland, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly on New Year's Eve Day. Her family and friends know that she had a long-standing battle with multiple cancers and had recently been undergoing a stem cell transplant procedure. While initially successful, she recently suffered a setback and was undergoing treatment. Her fragile system developed a series of issues that she and her doctors were determined to fight. She was cheerful, cooperative and brave. As she succumbed to an unforeseen complication, she was surrounded by loved ones and listening to her beloved Barry Manilow.

She was the daughter of Samson Dickens and the late Linda Dickens. She leaves behind her husband Evan; her stepson Dane, his wife Sasha and their daughter Xenia; her siblings Beth, Matthew and his wife Patricia; her siblings-in-law Laurie Weil, and Melissa Mason, her husband James and their children Michelle and Ryan; her nephews/nieces Robert, his wife Brittany and their son Ronan, and Morgan and Ryan.

Michelle grew up in Southborough, and went to college at UMass Lowell, where she earned a Master of Education degree. After a few years of other various teaching positions, she settled in as a Special Education Teacher in the Attleboro Public School System. Before becoming ill, she had been very much looking forward to retirement!

One of her favorite pastimes was cooking, and she took enormous pleasure in feeding anyone who crossed her path. It was how she wooed Evan, and his fork has never left his hand. She was also a member of Cape Cod Synagogue, where she could usually be found running the show in the kitchen for many events there. Those were treasured times for her, as they were a bond she shared with her mother Linda.

Other interests included puzzles of many varieties including jigsaw, word and sudoku. She was also an avid Scrabble player who confounded her opponents by memorizing every two-letter word in the Scrabble dictionary! Michelle would also list reading as a hobby, but since her library consisted of only the trashiest romance novels, can we really consider that?

No tribute to Michelle could be complete without mention of her most cherished cat, Lylah. As pets always are, Lylah was the source of infinite pleasure and unconditional love. Being separated from her during the transplant process was the most difficult challenge for Michelle. Their reunion was sweet, if all too brief.

Perhaps there was something in the ether that day, as animal activist and actress Betty White was also taken from this Earth. If Michelle was a Golden Girl, she would be a Rose.

Services for Michelle will be held at Cape Cod Synagogue on Friday, January 7, 2022. Due to COVID restrictions, they will be private, but can be livestreamed via the synagogue's YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtz44Z2PflyjxQw10bVvYvQ or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CapeCodSynagogue/

Calling hours will be held on Saturday, January 8th, 5:00 – 8:00pm at the Cape Cod Synagogue, 145 Winter Street, Hyannis, Mass, 02601 (Masks required), and on Sunday, January 9th, 2:00 – 5:00pm at the family home at 42 Aspinet Road, South Yarmouth, Mass, 02664.