Cynthia Ann Michaelson
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Cynthia Ann Michaelson died Feb. 5 in peace at home in Northfield, Minnesota, after a decades long struggle with cancer. She was 65.
Cynthia was born July 14, 1956, in Ottawa, Illinois, to Richard and Theresa (Bernardini) Michaelson. She graduated from LaSalle-Peru High School and Southern Illinois University, where she served as editor of the Daily Egyptian, the university's student-operated newspaper.
She worked as a copy editor at the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa, and as publications director for the Chicago CPA firm Blackman Kallick, then became a stay-at-home mom for her two daughters.
She began substitute teaching in 2009 and was known to students throughout south-central Minnesota as "Mrs. M."
Cynthia is survived by her husband, Michael O'Donnell; daughters Frances O'Donnell (William Blakeley) of Auburn, Alabama, and Dana O'Donnell (Patrick Vernon) of San Diego; brothers Steve (Sher) Michaelson of Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and David (Lori) Michaelson of Granville, Illinois; her beloved aunt Lora Lockhart of Ottawa, Illinois; and dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins, and sisters- and brothers-in-law.
No services will be held. Memorials should be made to the ThreeSixty Journalism program at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. https://threesixty.stthomas.edu/donate-to-threesixty-journalism/ biermanfuneralhome.com.