Elizabeth Marx Michels, 53

Elizabeth Marx Michels died on June 15, surrounded by family after a hard fought battle with cancer which she faced with an immense amount of courage and fortitude. She was 53.

Elizabeth Michels. Credit: The Vineyard Gazette https://vineyardgazette.com/obituaries/2025/06/18/elizabeth-marx-michels-53

Born February 3, 1972, in Cincinnati, Ohio to Louise (McVickar) and Graham Marx, Elizabeth graduated from The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, Pa. and was a 1994 graduate of Yale University.

Elizabeth played varsity squash at Yale and was a nationally ranked player. She captained the team her senior year and her love of all racquet sports continued throughout her life.

After college, she excelled as an advertising executive at Mediavest, displaying an uncanny talent for media planning. To know her was to know that her talents knew no bounds. She followed her passion for working with her hands by launching a successful handywoman business. Never one to shy away from a good challenge, this past winter she added wallpapering to her skillset, completing her latest project a mere six weeks ago.

Elizabeth and Mark, her husband of 22 years, led an adventurous life together, raising their three boys in multiple cities, on multiple continents. They enjoyed everything from biking around Amsterdam, to running marathons around the world, to fishing in Boca Grande, to snorkeling with very aggressive sea otters.

She was deeply proud of her boys for the wonderful young men they are becoming. Elizabeth found immense joy being their #1 fan on the sidelines, on the water’s edge and in all moments of everyday life.

She was equally at home riding a horse out west or navigating the waters of Chappy in her beloved ‘Tin Lizzie’. She will always be remembered as someone who gave it her all but was never boastful. She took great pleasure in making others happy and would do whatever it took to bring a smile to your face. She approached life fearlessly, constantly trying new things and never afraid to fail. This modus operandi may have led to a few missed trains in Belgium, some inedible meals in Lisbon and a few questionable haircuts in Amsterdam, but her spirit of adventure and zest for life was a gift to all who knew her.

A devoted wife, mother, daughter, aunt and friend, Elizabeth is survived by her husband Mark; her sons, August, Ben, and Berend; her parents, Louise and Graham Marx; her brother, Alex Marx (Melissa Marx), and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Elizabeth was gracious in the truest sense: kind without effort, generous without expectation and steady in both joy and challenge. She inspired everyone around her with her unshakable positive outlook and quiet strength. She will be deeply missed.

A memorial service will be held in Fox Chapel, Pa. at a date and time to be announced later.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Allegheny Health Network who provided such great care over the last few years.

[This obituary appeared in The Vineyard Gazette.]