Michelle Kathleen "Kamrad" Russell

Michelle, a beloved wife and mother of two daughters, passed away on July 9th, 2026, after a 2.5 year battle with Glioblastoma.

Michelle was born on December 7th, 1966, to Margot and Michael Kamrad in Chicago, Illinois, alongside her younger brother, Matthew. She went on to graduate from Bradley University and started working in Human Resources before taking on her favorite job, a stay-at-home mom to Emily and Chelsea and wife to Don.

Michelle loved sports and was especially passionate about the Chicago Bears, Carolina Hurricanes, and Chicago Cubs. When the family moved to Wisconsin, she took great pride in wearing Bears gear on game days and talking some smack to anyone wearing Packers gear. She would always say that her two favorite teams were the Bears and whichever team was playing the Packers that week.

Michelle was a Chicagoan through and through. It was her favorite city in the world. She loved a Portillo's hot dog and a Sausage Deep Dish Pizza from Pizzeria Due.

Michelle also loved her time at Bradley University and being in her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega. Michelle lived in the sorority house all 3-years that she was a member of the sorority and kept up with her sorority sisters throughout her entire life.

Michelle was incredible in the kitchen. She was an amazing chef and baker. She made many of her recipes from scratch and was typically found cooking in silence because she would get into a flow in the kitchen. She would make homemade cakes for her family’s birthdays, everyone wanted her carrot cake to be brought to family events, and her chocolate chip cookie recipe is one of her most beloved and still kept a secret from anyone outside of her immediate family.

Michelle had a wicked sense of humor. She was witty and loved to tease and pull pranks. Throughout her 2.5 year battle, she would always have everyone laughing, including the doctors and nurses, and she would never shy away from some dark humor as well. She was very passionate about making the world a better place. She participated in every clinical trial and study to help future patients, and she was very active in advocating for social change. She wanted to do her part to make the world a kinder place for everyone.

Above all, she was an incredible wife and mother. Her family was her priority, and she would make time for them always. She will be dearly missed and loved forever.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Michelle's honor are appreciated to the Glioblastoma Research Foundation.