Michelle Hendry Chaplin

Michelle Hendry Chaplin, 63, passed away on August 22, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona, surrounded by her loved ones.

She was born on May 14, 1962, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and spent her early childhood in Wellsville before moving with her family to Phoenix. Michelle later made her home in Medford, Oregon, for more than 25 years before returning to Arizona.

Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern Oregon University and was raised in the LDS faith, which gave her strength throughout her life. She loved horses, the outdoors, and nature in all its forms. As a child, she shared adventurous days riding dirt bikes with her brother Keven, memories she carried fondly throughout her life.

Books, writing, music, and art were her constant companions, and she cherished long, thoughtful conversations. She was known for her sharp wit and sense of humor, often able to bring laughter even in difficult moments. A hard worker with a free spirit, Michelle lived life on her own terms, from raising her family to trying her hand at homesteading in the Arizona desert. She will be remembered for her intelligence, her resilience, her kindness toward strangers, and the steady love she gave to her four children and three grandchildren.

She is survived by her children: James Colbert, Daniel Colbert, Amanda Dunn, Travis Dunn; and by her longtime partner Paul Chaplin. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Willie Hendry and Ione Smith Hendry, and her brother, Keven Hendry.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the Wellsville Cemetery in Wellsville, Utah, where Michelle will be laid to rest near her parents, Ralph and Ione Hendry.