Michelle Valyne (Mattulat) Edgar

Our beautiful daughter Michelle Valyne Mattulat Edgar gained her heavenly wings on April 8, 2024 in Seattle WA.

Michelle was born in Hollywood Ca on October 21 1970 to parents  Virginia (Ginger) Gray Mattulat Gerlach and Herbert Mattulat.  Palle Gerlach is her beloved stepfather.

Michelle spent her early years in Southern California where she loved going to the beach with her mom and sister Lara and best friend Carrie McCormick. She began elementary school in Tustin CA. When her parents divorced she moved to Salt Lake City Utah with her mom and sister where she attended schools in Sandy UT and Cottonwood Heights UT.  She graduated from Brighton High School in 1988. She was very bright and an honor student. She received the Hope of America award from the Kiwanis Club. 

Michelle was not only an excellent student but always a good worker, and she collected lifelong friends from every job she had. Her first job was at  Baskin Robbin’s Ice Cream  in  Cottonwood Heights where much to her parents delight she brought home and shared 2 free scoops after every shift. She worked there part time  the last 2 years of high school and made many friends. 

Michelle attended  Utah State University in Logan UT where she lived  5 years until her graduation in  1993. She worked part time at  Fredrico’s  Pizza 5 years while attending college.  She received a BS degree in Broadcast Journalism and then  began a career in the airlines at Southwest Airlines. She also worked in customer service for eBay, Com.Com, and UPS.  She had excellent writing skills and became an editor and contributor to the company newsletter wherever she worked.

Michelle had a deep love of cats beginning with her first kitty Tiger, then Kennie, Jeeves and Tini, and her last kitty Maleficent. She once told her mother the only children she would ever have would have whiskers and say “meow.” She was right. It was because of her love of cats that she met her husband Jim Edgar who lived in Seattle WA and had a dark humor website called “My cat hates you.” After much online correspondence, Jim came to Utah to meet Michelle. They hit it off immediately and after a few months, Michelle moved to Seattle to be with Jim. They married in April 2002 and her years with Jim were the happiest of her life.  She loved Seattle where she worked for Alaska Airlines as an Administrative Assistant to the director of the maintenance department.  Jim and Michelle later divorced but remained best friends until her death.

Michelle was very quiet, sweet, kind, generous and funny.  She was a gentle soul who never hurt anyone.  Her family and friends are devastated to lose her far too soon but are comforted to know she is now at peace and safe at last in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

She is survived by her parents Ginger and Palle Gerlach, sister Lara Nicole Mattulat Sheely, stepsister Lisa Gerlach Garduno (Ben), stepbrother Justin Gerlach and beloved nephews and nieces Steven Mattulat, Samantha Poli (Nick), Michael Sheely and Virginia Sheely, best friend Jim Edgar and most loved kitty Maleficent.

She was preceded in death by her father Herbert Mattulat, grandparents Marguerite Valyne Schulthess Gray and Franklin Joseph Gray Sr., Rienkje Kramer Mattulat and Otto Mattulat.

A celebration of Michelle’s life will be announced at a later date.

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