Michelle Lynn Lewis-Garvin, 54, of Sullivan lost her brave and courageous battle with cancer at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 29, 2012 and passed away peacefully in her residence with a peaceful heart, having lived a fruitful and loving life.

Celebration of Life services will be 8:00 p.m. Thursday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Rev. Glenn Strohschein officiating. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan. Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 p.m. Friday in Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Belleville, IL with Msgr. Jack McEvilly officiating. Visitation will be noon until 2:00 p.m. Friday in Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Belleville. Burial will be in the Valhalla Gardens of Memory, Belleville, IL. Memorials are suggested to St. John’s Hospice or DMH Hospice. Cremation rites were accorded at Michelle’s request. Condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Michelle was born April 23, 1958 in Belleville, IL, the daughter of Larry and Margie Jung Simonin. She married John Lewis and together was born two daughters, Mekenzie Lewis and Leslie Lewis. John preceded her in death. She then married Jon Garvin on October 1, 2005 and he survives at Sullivan.

At an early age Michelle embraced the outdoors, nature and the farming industry. With that in mind, after her graduation from Althoff Catholic High School, she attended and graduated from Missouri State University in Cape Giradeau, MO with a degree in agriculture. With her degree in agriculture she pursued her career. She was a soil conservationist for the USDA, working her way up the ladder to a District Supervisor for Piatt County while living in Sullivan. She retired in 2011.

It was always Michelle’s ambition with her love for the outdoors to give back to the world. Michelle enjoyed camping, boating, fishing, swimming, exercise, travel and was a St. Louis Cardinal fan, always watching the games on TV or in person with great enthusiasm. But, most of all, she loved and enjoyed spending time with her two lovely daughters, Mekenzie and Leslie and her beloved husband Jonnie Garvin, a large extended family and her many, many friends. She lived with love for everyone, never meeting a stranger, greeting them with a loving smile and a kind word.

She is survived by her husband Jon Garvin of Sullivan; daughters, Mekenzie Lewis (fiancé Roy Riley) both of Pekin, IL and Leslie Lewis (special friend Dan Patrick) of Bloomington, IL; parents, Larry and Margie Jung Simonin of Belleville, IL; brother, Scott (Diane) Simonin; sister, Dawn (Kevin) Peil and brother, Bruce Simonin all of Belleville, IL; six nieces, three nephews, many cousins, uncles, aunts ,great nieces, a great nephew and many, many friends.

With a heart full of love and care for everyone she will be sadly and gratefully missed by all who knew and loved her. Thanks be to God for letting us know and love her for a short 54 years. Michelle’s love, smile and energy will live on in our hearts and lives forever.

She was also preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents and sister-in-law, Toni Simonin.