Phyllis Carol Michaud (Horton), age 70, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family in Norman, Oklahoma on January 22. Born to the late Donald and the late Sarah Horton (Pugh) in Dallas, TX, on March 26, 1955. She was the oldest of five children.

As the daughter of a United Methodist minister, she moved often; from Dallas to Pennsylvania to Kentucky and back to Saegertown and Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Her upbringing helped shaped her strong Christian faith, empathy, and altruism. She attended Mount Union College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1977. She later went on to receive a Master of Education in Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2002. Following her graduate studies, she pursued and obtained her Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certification, further preparing her for a lifelong commitment to helping others.

In college she met the love of her life, Timothy, on a blind date which began their 51-year devoted partnership, after four years of courtship they entered 47 years of marriage. They lived together in Akron, Ohio before moving to Norman, Oklahoma. Together, they built a life centered around love, family, and service. They had three children, Andrew, Eric, and Sarah. Offering compassion, understanding, and support to individuals and families during life’s most difficult moments.

Helping others was the guiding force of her life. She began her professional career in social work, transitioned into education, serving as a special education teacher and high school guidance counselor at Norman North High School in 1997. Over the decades of her dedicated service to the thousands of students her support and encouragement never waned. The joy she felt when hearing student success stories and college plans, made the long days worth each year. Additionally, she served with Kaleidoscope Grief Support and numerous years of volunteering for Special Olympics of Oklahoma.

In her free time, and after her retirement from Norman North in 2022, she enjoyed crafting, baking, gardening, traveling to 49 states, nearly all the national parks, countless state and local parks, camping and hiking, and creating a warm and welcoming home for family and friends.

Above all, she was a proud and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her family was the center of her world, and she cherished time spent together, especially playing games and sharing laughter.

Phyllis is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband Timothy; her three children, Andrew, Eric and wife Theresa Michaud, and Sarah and husband Benjamin Schield; her 11 grandchildren; and her 2 great-grandchildren; numerous siblings and in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, and too many to count lifelong friends that she considered family.

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Tribute Memorial of Norman.

Her journey with ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, lasted two years and three months following her diagnosis, with the disease progressing rapidly in her final days. ALS is a devastating illness that gradually takes away the most basic human functions, including the ability to speak, eat, swallow, move, and breathe, while the mind and emotions remain fully intact.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in her honor to ALS research or a named college scholarship fund for Norman North students, or consider planting a tree in her memory to continue her lifelong commitment to education and service.

ALS Therapy Development Institute research donations may be made at: https://als.net/phyllismichaud

The Phyllis Michaud Legacy Scholarship Fund be made at: https://occf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=16213

She will be remembered for her compassion, strength, and the profound impact she made as a wife, mother, counselor, educator, and friend. Her legacy lives on through the many lives she touched and the family she loved so deeply.