Michele A Niesen

Chief Warrant Officer 3 (retired) Michele Niesen received her orders to redeploy on Monday December 8, 2014 after a courageous 16 year battle with breast cancer.  After a life time of fighting the good fight, Michele got her orders to demobilize to her heavenly home station.  Mission complete.  

Michele was born May 21, 1962 in Boise, ID to Chuck and Fran Hardy, and was the oldest of three children.  The family moved often as Chuck was employed in the U.S. Forest Service.  Michele was a vivacious and energetic child who graduated from Durango High School, Durango, CO where she ran cross country.  She graduated from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO where she met the love of her life, Dave.  They both enlisted in the U.S. Army and Michele faithfully and honorably served for over 23 years before retiring as a CW3.  She started her military career serving in Germany and was mobilized for both the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom.  During her time at Fort Lewis, WA, Michele established the Medical Holding Company that cared for injured soldiers returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Michele was an amazing lady with numerous talents and was an inspiration to many.  She painted, did calligraphy, made stained glass creations, sewed, quilted, and raised two beautiful, Christian children.  Combining her talents with her cancer treatment experiences, Michele created and patented the Chemono which is garment that allows chemotherapy patients to have more modesty and style while still allowing medical staff to access the patient’s infusion port.  Her desire to help other cancer patients drove Michele and her sister to start ChemoReadySetGo which makes and sells chemotherapy support items.

Michele was preceded in death by her grandparents, Mack and Emma Lowe Hardy and grandfather Frank Cada.  She is survived by her husband Dave of Kennewick, WA; daughter Lydia of Coeur d’Alene, ID; son Tyler of Bozeman, MT; parents Chuck and Fran Hardy, Boise, ID; sister Joni Toenjes (Vince), Hamilton, MT; brother Steve Hardy (Candace), Scottsdale, AZ; grandmother Elizabeth Cada, Weiser, ID; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Special thanks for Dr Jose Ness and the Trios Infusion Center nurses who provided exceptional care to Michele through her journey with cancer and to the Tri-City Chaplaincy Hospice House for their loving and compassionate support in Michele’s time of need.

A celebration of Michele’s life and God’s grace that filled it will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, 16 December 2014 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 520 Thayer Drive, Richland, WA.  The celebration will be followed by the graveside rendering of military honors at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland, WA and then a reception at Redeemer Church.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, a donation can be made in Michele’s name to the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission which is a local homeless shelter that Michele supported.  The Gospel Mission (http://www.tcugm.org/) can be reached at:

Tri-City Union Gospel Mission

P.O. Box 1443

Pasco, WA 99301

Phone: 509.547.2112