Michelle Abrego

Michelle Jane Abrego was born June 25, 1970. The youngest of five, she was born to Nick and Inez Cota in Ogden, UT. She passed away peacefully in her home on August 7, 2025, and is now in perpetuity with her loving husband, son, mother, father, and others whom she missed dearly each day.

Michelle graduated from Ogden High School, where she met the love of her life, Jose E Abrego. The two teenagers quickly formed a connection that would become a lifelong bond, complete with marriage and three beautiful children: Monique, Laundo, and Monte. Her family later expanded with the births of her grandchildren, Cash and Cain (a.k.a the little critters) whom she adored and affectionately nicknamed "Cactus" and "Little Brother".

Michelle was generous in love and kindness. She had a heart of gold, never judged, and was always looking for the positive in everything and everyone. Despite her own struggles, she was selfless and constantly worrying about everyone else. She took the time to reach out and check in on those she loved regularly. If her call was met with a voicemail, she would leave a loving message like, "Just calling to say I love you, talk to you later, bye!".

To experience the love that Michelle gave was a true blessing. The love she had for others was unconditional and unwavering. One way she showed her love was through acts of gifts. She would bring a bag of burgers to feed everyone or would send the kids home with treats, squeeze-its, or a dollar to buy a special treat, even when she didn't have the money to spare. She often suggested that the kids buy a slurpee with the money, which made them smile. Another way she showed her love was by giving nicknames to her loved ones. And once she started calling you by a certain name, it stuck!

Michelle was the type of person who greeted everyone with a smile while wearing her infamous cowboy hat and either a Dallas Cowboys shirt or one from Wichita State. She remembered the little details of her loved ones' lives and would be sure to ask about important topics. She had a listening ear and a knack for knowing when you needed a kind word. She was known to write letters or send sentimental cards with messages of encouragement and love. This is because she truly cherished everyone in her life and the time spent together. She was often found in the company of her loved ones laughing and sharing stories or with her two good friends, Juan and Valerie, affectionately nicknamed "Compa" and "Stromie".

Michelle's life was a beautiful mix of love, loss, happiness and heartache. She embraced it all through her love of family and with the help of her hobbies. She had an affinity for music and listened to everything including Club Nouveau, AC/DC, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams just to name a few. She was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and wore her shirt proudly. Additionally, she enjoyed journaling. It was there that she could process her life experiences and share her innermost thoughts as she navigated day by day.

Michelle was preceded in death by her husband Jose Abrego, her son Laundo Abrego, her parents Nick and Inez Cota, brother Rudy Cota, Uncle James Larose, and father-in-law Enrique Abrego. She is survived by her daughter Monique (Angelo) Mendez, son Monte Abrego, grandsons Cash and Cain Mendez, sisters Mary (Derk) Sawley and Jo (Vince) Mander, brother Nick (Lori) Cota and many aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

Michelle was a bright light to many. She loved hard and loud. Her generous spirit and loving heart are now at rest, but those left behind are going to miss her so much.

Please join us in honoring Michelle at a Celebration of Life followed by a luncheon on August 24, 2025, from 11-2 at Leavitt's Mortuary 836 36TH ST. OGDEN, UT, 84403.

Schedule:

Celebration of Life 11am-12pm

Luncheon 12pm-2pm