Michele was born May 25, 1967, in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania to Matthew and Angela Labrutte while her father was attending Penn State University. The family moved to Indialantic, Florida in 1976 when her father Matthew, received his first job as an engineer with the Harris Corporation. Michele and her sister's Chrissie, Karen, and Donna grew up two blocks from the Florida beach she loved.

After graduating from Melbourne High School, she worked as a waitress in Orlando and paid her way through college. She was strong-willed, ambitious, determined, driven, motivated, single-minded and a successful person. She earned her associate's degree in nursing from Valencia College, a BSN from the University of Central Florida and obtained a Master's degree of Science in Nursing and Education. Michele's contined education earned her several certificates in clinical education and Nurse Case Management. She maintained nursing license's in both the State's of California and Florida.

The first 12 years of Michele's career was dedicated to working in direct patient care at the Orlando Regional Hospital, Winter Park Memorial Hospital and Florida Hospital in Tampa. She worked in a level one trauma center which specialized in critical care/post open heart surgery. Her leadership skills promoted her into a Charge Nurse and post-surgical preceptor.She was a clinical educator on diabetes and cardiac rehab as well as a member of the quality improvement team. In 2001, Michelle began the next chapter in her life as a Nurse Case Manager in the insurance industry. Then in 2002, she started her own company as a Legal Nurse Consultant. Michele continued her career as a Senior Clinical Nurse Educator and Case Manager working for some of the largest Pharmaceutical companies in the world specialized in neuroscience.In 2015 she dedicated her time at Camp Pendleton as a nurse case manager working with active service personnel with complex trauma, disability, and PTSD. She was a certified case manager and in 2017 a member of NCQA working on a certification in quality improvement. Recently she received a certificate to teach nursing at a local university located Southern California. Michele
Loved to help children and was an advocate for parents and the elderly. Michele dedicated her life to helping people.

Michele also found the time to discover and marry the love of her life, Kevin Furphy. Kevin and Michele got engaged on January 1, 2000 (the Millennium) at the San Francisco Embarcadero. The next day, the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle featured Kevin holding Michele up with the caption: "Kevin Furphy proposed to Michele Labrutte at the stroke of midnight and she said yes." joined by Kevin's brother Tim and his wife Barbara, also seen in the paper. They married in 2001, moved to California in 2008 and settled, in San Clemente in 2009.Kevin loved Michele more than anything in the whole world. The two of them traveled the world! They visited all of Italy, twice over, from England, Germany, and Belgium straight through Turkey. The enchantment of the Greek Isles and south of France not missed along with all the Islands of the Caribbean, Cayman, Jamaica,Belize, Casa Maya and of course Cozumel, Mexico. When all was said and done, Paris was Michele's favorite.

Michele loved to go to the beach and admired the ocean.She loved to be out on boats, whether it was sailing, fishing, or just cruising around the bay or the intercostal.She loved Florida and especially the Keys.But he favorite place was the Indialantic beach where she grew up and now will be going back home. She loved to garden and spent most of her weekends working in the yard.She was a very caring person and loved her family very much. She always was thinking about her mom Angela who had a special place in her heart. She loved her nephews and nieces, but Rachel and Cole were special. She constantly thought about her sisters and especially her sister Chrissie, who was her very best friend. She cherished her two dogs, Rudy and Petey.They were the best friends she ever had; she loved them very much.She was saddened when Petey died of cancer during Thanksgiving, and now she is loving and playing with him right now.

"Being in love with Michele is so special that I can't imagine ever losing her.I'm glad we've found each other, and together we will enjoy the fun of two hearts who were meant for each other. I look at her, and I realize just how much she has been a part of my life, how special she was and how much she made me happy. I look at her, and I realize that heaven is getting an angel.As we admire the wonderful things God has made today, remember Michele is one of them – wonderful inside and out. Michele is blessed, special and loved.Michele, you are my inspiration, and I am going to miss you dearly, and I will love you forever. Goodbye, my love."

Michele is survived by Kevin Furphy her spouse, best friend, soulmate, and true love. He mother Angela and Father Matt, sisters Chrissie (Mike), Karen (Glen), and Donna (Bob). Her nieces and nephews, Rachel, Cole, Jack, and Josh. Kevin's parents, Chuck and Evelyn, sister and brother-in-laws Pam (John), Fritz (Kathy), Tim (Barbara), Dan, and Kenny (Rose). Nephews and nieces Sean, Shayna, Alexis, Johnathon, Breanna, Kayla, Brent and Michelle, Jason, and great-nephews and niece Connor, Teagan, Declan, and Corbin.

Michele's Funeral Mass will be held on March 3, 2018 at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach California. She will be laid to rest in Indialantic, Florida on March 10, 2018 at the garden of Holy Name Catholic Church.The Church is just a couple blocks from where she grew up and where her family still lives.Her mother, father, and family will be able to visit her every time they go to church.

A charity in Michele's memory has been established at:
Shriners Hospitals for Children
In Memory of Michele Furphy (must include with donation)
2900 Ricky Point Drive
Tampa, Florida 33607
https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc/donate