Michelle D. Young

Michelle Dianne Young (nee McLaughlin) died on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, of cervical cancer. Mother to Owen, Eric, and Jason Young; daughter to Tom McLaughlin, Sr., and Dianne McLaughlin; sister to Tom McLaughlin, Jr., (Melissa), and Christine O'Malley (Christopher); beloved friend to countless others.

Michelle lived life on her terms and lived it to the fullest, even during her devastating illness. In this way, she was an inspiration to everyone in her orbit, and a model of how to embrace every experience. She enjoyed crafting, painting, nature walks, camping, kayaking, and watching the Phillies, especially at the ballpark. Michelle enjoyed traveling, most recently to Alaska, Aruba, and the Pacific Northwest in the final year of her life. She enjoyed long hikes in Jim Thorpe and Brandywine Creek State Park, and attended lots of arts and crafts shows and concerts. She was a skilled artist. Her drawing, painting, and woodworking skills were much admired. She often gifted personalized artwork to loved ones, and was sought after to create original works for friends and family looking for personal keepsakes.

She was a 1996 graduate of Paulsboro High School in Paulsboro, NJ, and a 2001 graduate of Stockton University (nee State College), where she was a member of the Omicron Beta chapter of Delta Zeta National Sorority, starting in 1997.

She worked as a server and bartender at Pica's Restaurant in Upper Darby for nearly twenty years, until a few months before her death. Michelle forged deep friendships with co-workers and customers alike. In fact, deep friendships were her specialty, carefully maintaining connections throughout her life; some of her closest adult friendships started in preschool, elementary school, and high school.

About her illness, a friend shared, "We all know that life is short and you should aim to squeeze every drop out of it (Michelle sure did). Despite adversities, she consistently moved forward, uncovered new talents, explored new places, made new friends (she immediately LOVED every nurse who ever cared for her), and retained that feeling of wonder and autonomy, even when horrible things were happening to her. But she was also real with the fear and sadness and loss she was facing and she never shied away from those feelings or tried to numb them or suppress them."

Relatives and friends are invited to Michelle’s visitation on Monday, July 28, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at The Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA followed by words of remembrance at 11:00 AM. Interment private.

In lieu of flowers, The Breathing Room donations https://breathingroomfoundation.org/donate/