Michelle Diane (Wolz) Draper

Michelle Diane (Wolz) Draper, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, and friend, passed away on Sunday, June 15, 2025 after a brief, but courageous battle with an aggressive form of cancer. Michelle leaves behind a legacy of love, learning, and selfless service.

Preceded in death by parents, George and Mary Jane (Schindler) Wolz, she was the oldest daughter and lifelong friend to sister, Stephanie Eichenberger (Daniel, M.D.). Michelle graduated from Floyd Central High School before embarking as a first-generation college student at Purdue University. She received both bachelors and masters degrees from Purdue, and remained a loyal Boilermaker for life. Michelle later earned a degree from the University of Louisville in Clinical Laboratory Scientist and an MBA from Bellarmine University. Michelle’s passion for clinical laboratory science culminated in an over 30 year career that included working in hospitals, teaching in both the Louisville and Bellarmine allied health programs, and most recently serving as department chair at Ivy Tech-Sellersburg.

Michelle was selfless to a fault and never hesitated to offer a helping hand. Her greatest joy came from her role as mother and grandmother. As a single mother for the last 35 years, Michelle put everything into providing for her three children: Elise (Steve Syoen) and daughter Darby; Benjamin (Sara Draper) and children Stella, Ivy, Ezra, and Leo; and Lunden (Andrew Barnes) and daughters Savannah and Isabel. She adored her grandchildren and cherished every opportunity to be present in their lives.

Michelle was an educator and mentor who touched countless lives. She found delight in travel, bird watching, cake decorating, crafts, and recently, conversational Spanish classes. Whether in or out of the classroom she inspired others with her wisdom, generosity, and unwavering care.

She was a volunteer and leader throughout her life, sharing her time and talents with many professional organizations, her children's extracurricular activities, and the faith communities at St. Mary’s of the Knobs and St. John Paul II Catholic churches.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, and her legacy will live on in the lives she touched with warmth, grace, and an enduring reminder that putting people first is always the right choice.

A gathering of family and friends will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2025 at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions (3309 Ballard Lane, New Albany) and continue on Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Her funeral mass will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. on Monday at St. John Paul II Catholic Church (2253 W. St. Joe Road, Sellersburg). She will be laid to rest privately at St. Mary of the Knobs Cemetery.

Flowers are greatly appreciated, in lieu of flowers, our family would also appreciate donations in Mom’s honor to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Mom regularly prepared and served meals to the families at the Ronald McDonald House which was a service opportunity she shared with her family as well as her students.