Michelle Laidlaw

Born on August 24, 1971, Michelle’s 50 years were filled with love, family, infectious laughter, lasting friendships, incredible adventures, music, and DVR and Netflix queues that were 100% full at all times.

She is survived by her mother, Judy Smith Laidlaw, father, Robert Laidlaw, sister, Susan Laidlaw Wolfe, nieces Dylan Wolfe and Hunter Wolfe Houser (Connor). She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Stanley and Irene Smith, and paternal grandparents, Lawrence and June Laidlaw, and her beloved dog, Hodge.

Michelle grew up in Mission Viejo and Clayton, California until 1986 when her family moved to Carmel, Indiana where she graduated from Carmel High School in 1989. She was a member of the 88’ State Championship Girls’ Soccer Team, a celebrated singer with the Ambassadors, the President of The Thespians, and a regular on stage in the school’s theater productions. She participated in many clubs and activities, with an uncanny ability to bridge social groups and make friends wherever she went.

Michelle arrived at Ball State University in the fall of 1989, and the Laidlaw legend was born. She attended BSU from 1989-1993 and earned a degree in Journalism and Marketing. During that time she was an integral member of Delta Zeta Sorority where her spirit and activism built a strong and thriving sisterhood, and she formed many of the close friendships that endure today. Her antics and pranks are legendary. The stories of her exploits and accomplishments at Ball State could fill volumes, but would likely incriminate many of you, so will stay in the vault.

After college, Michelle spread her wings far beyond the Midwest, and in 1994 hit the pavement running in Washington, DC. where she loved playing soccer on the National Mall with friends she met from around the world. It was then on to New York City in 1996 to pursue her acting dreams while working at the Paramount Hotel.

Between auditioning, singing back up, and the regular line of celebrities coming to the Paramount, she would get a taste of her future life in Los Angeles rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in music, film, television, and theater.  After time living in New York, Los Angeles, and Carmel, she found her way back to California to work at the famed Walton Isaacson Agency in 2012 as the Manager of Brand Integration, Partnerships, and Content Development. One of her favorite pastimes was singing karaoke in LA at The Grove where she grew quite a following.

In 2017, she returned to Carmel, Indiana to start her own business and help care for her parents. Laidlaw Designworks is one of Michelle’s lasting legacies and was built entirely by word-of-mouth. She was immensely proud of the work she did, and her client roster was filled with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry and academia. Her pursuit of excellence and depth of industry knowledge truly set her apart and garnered her a reputation as the “go-to” for presentations, graphic design, art direction, and web design services. Her business was thriving at the time of her death, with a waitlist well into 2022 for services.

Michelle loved to travel. From La La Land to Germany, Australia to Graceland, with hundreds of other destinations along the way, she embraced adventure and especially loved traveling with her favorite companion, her mother, by her side. In true Michelle fashion, she trotted the globe turning strangers into lifelong friends.

Michelle was a brilliant, creative, driven, compassionate soul who loved with her whole heart. She loved animals, especially her dog, Hodge. She was a devoted daughter, sister, and aunt, and delighted in spending time with and celebrating the achievements of her nieces, Dylan and Hunter.

She never met an inspirational quote she didn’t like, and in recent years, she could be found as a source of support, humor, compassion, and hilarity on social media. Her friends would delight in her stories and pictures about celebrities she had met, and she made a point to share positive and uplifting content that championed the successes of others.

And even with all of her awards and accomplishments, Michelle’s true legacy is the gift of her love and joy. She was guided by tenderness and grace, and was an example to all of us to be more kind and tolerant. If you were lucky enough to call her friend, you know the way she could turn an ordinary day into one of your greatest memories.

In honor of Michelle- Hug your people. Tell them you love them. Do something spontaneous. Forgive someone. Reach out to someone who might be hurting. Keep the love going that she so beautifully and fearlessly gave to the world.

A celebration of life will be held Wednesday, December 22, from 5pm pm to 7 pm at Flanner Buchanan – Carmel, 325 E. Carmel Dr, Carmel, Indiana 46032.

In lieu of flowers or keepsakes, Michelle’s close friends have set up a GoFundMe to alleviate the financial burden of the funeral and related expenses. If you would like to make a donation in her honor, it can be found here.