IN MEMORIAM: MICHELE HUSH
Michele Hush passed away peacefully on March 8, 2018, at age 69, with her daughter at her side. She suffered from a debilitating illness that so quickly took from her what she loved most: to write and tell stories.
Michele was a long-time member of NYWICI and won its Liz Hoover Award in 2011. She was active on NYWICI’s committees and a driving force behind the launch of our Aloud Blog in 2009, where she did what seemed to come to her with such ease: keeping an eye out for what’s news, but even more so, for what had fallen between the cracks. With a stable of talented writers, she targeted the stories that needed to be told. As her expertise for this role, she listed “storytelling in all its forms, including naptime.”
“My dad always said, ‘First engage the brain, then the mouth,’ Michele said after receiving the Liz Hoover Award. “Those words have been my guide wherever life’s taken me.”
As Michele told it, she loved to draw and paint as a child and always assumed to become an artist, but five semesters of art school convinced her writing was a better fit. Michele earned her first paychecks as a writer interviewing rock bands for pop music magazines. This led to a job editing a rock & roll magazine and then to jobs in entertainment PR and artist management.
Eventually, “the charm of late nights with noisy people wore off,” and she joined the Corporate Communications Department of Grey Advertising, where she wrote employee newsletters, a marketing newsletter and executive speeches. Writing business development materials, promotional brochures and pitch letters taught her to be persuasive.
Michele cherished words and the English language, and she used the word “divinipotent” as a challenge to write a daily blog Divinipotent Daily. Divinipotent, meaning powerful in intuition or divination, is an endangered word that she had “adopted” from the Oxford Dictionaries’ savethewords.org. On her blog, topics ranged from musings about nature, poetry, the arts and the beauty she found around her on her long walks—while giving “her” word the center stage.
In 2011, she joined Thomson Reuters as its “Chief Storyteller”. Michele loved that title. It fit her, and with a twinkle in her eye she would confine in me one day that this had been her trademark all along.
There are not many photos of Michele on her Facebook page, but those she posted had meaning. “I don’t mind getting older—what could be more natural—but I feel a little odd about the fact that my avatar is a photo of me from the Sixties”, Michele wrote in one of her posts. “So, here’s what I looked like this morning when I was picking up a few things from Fresh Direct.”
Michele’s former NYWICI colleagues and friends share their thoughts and good byes below.
“How does one write the right words for such a lovely writer, editor and human being as Michele? She was always so graceful and kind, no matter with whom she interacted. In her LinkedIn profile, Michele shared this: Elmore Leonard said it best: ‘I try to leave out the parts that people skip’. This reminds me of Michele—someone who never needed to be the center of attention and yet never missed a beat. Michele’s spirit, fierce intelligence, way with words and zest for life will be greatly missed.” (Suzanne Cohen)
“Michele was a class act and a true storyteller who used her pen (and keyboard) to paint a picture with words much like a musician does with an instrument. Soft-spoken, calm and patient, yet she inspired her fellow committee members and mentored those with less experience or confidence. A skilled writer, she never disappointed with her Matrix Journal profiles. Michele’s keen interest in telling the stories of unsung women in communications during Women’s History Month via NYWICI’s blog matched my own. I loved writing several of those profiles, especially knowing how much they meant to Michele’s sense of justice and history. Like most writers, Michele sat back to observe and then used her talent to report on those she felt deserved public recognition and focus. Michele will be sorely missed by all who knew her.” (Linda Levi)
“Michele was the soul of grace, clarity and impish wit. Who else would dedicate her personal blog to ‘saving the endangered word divinipotent’? I’ll never understand exactly why she targeted me, but with a sharp look and the words “we need you,” she recruited me for an active role on the Integrated Marketing Committee (IMC). I learned the true value of NYWICI membership for I got to brainstorm, write, edit and work alongside some pretty sharp communicators, still friends and colleagues to this very day. Thank you forever, Michele Hush. I will always remember you.” (Susan Soriano)
“I first met Michele at an IMC meeting in late 2010, when she spoke about needing writers for the NYWICI blog she had started the previous year, Aloud. Michele was wonderful to talk to about so many topics, especially art and design (she had studied fine art at the SVA.) As she remarked more than once, we were kindred spirits who appreciated all manners of visual and written arts and communication (she loved poetry) but also enjoyed the process of writing.
Michele had many varied interests, from history (as evidenced by her frequent Tweets of fascinating photographs from the Old Pics Archive, Ephemeral NY and Shorpy websites) to misunderstood animals, like bats. She loved walking and she loved New York City.
It’s been said that people often forget what you say to them, but they remember how you make them feel. I so appreciate how she made me feel empowered and confident as a writer. Michele was a kind person who enjoyed helping people around her succeed.” (Giuliana Lonigro)
“When I approached Michele to be a mentor at Baruch—I directed the program for students in the MA Corporate Communications track—she immediately agreed, even though she had her hands full with her job at Thomson Reuters.” (Jeanne Byington)
“Michele and I worked together when I edited NYWICI Now, the digital newsletter. First, she was a newsletter contributor and then a board member overseeing my work. Both were sterling experiences. When I requested her head shot to use in NYWICI Now, without missing a beat, Michele sent a picture of a young Lauren Bacall with the note, ‘Please use this one’.” (Michelle Lodge)
“For so many years, my life was intertwined with Michele’s, both professionally and personally. On the Integrated Marketing & Communications Committee, we worked together on many projects; at first, Michele as Aloud bog editor, and I as the Content Director and then co-chair. Later, Michele replaced me as co-chair, and I reported to her on the first digital version of the newsletter Connect and other editorial tasks. Michele always had an insightful perspective on any topic – and often a quip that cheered my day. Many years, Michele was the first to wish me a happy birthday on Facebook.
Michele’s personal blog, Divinipotent Daily, often yielded delightful musings on stars, songs, leaves and more, as she looked out of her apartment upon the Manhattan skyline, often in the early mornings—you almost felt as if you were sharing a cup of morning coffee with Michele.
But my favorite memories of Michele were when we met for drinks or lunch, or when she came each year to an annual holiday drinks gathering that I organize for friends. Sitting across from Michele, basking in her attentive, seemingly knowing gaze, I felt the power of the woman that I and so many others now miss dearly.” (Patricia Maloney)
“The last time I saw Michele, we raised a glass of wine with a group of fellow NYWICI sisters at my house. Michele, who already suffered from the effects of Parkinson’s, tipped over her glass and spilled her wine. I assured her that it didn’t matter and attempted to clean up the mess. “No, it is NOT alright,” Michele answered almost in anger; anger that her body had failed her and left her frail. That was the first time I ever saw her upset. I will miss her unpretentiousness, her warmth and wit and her ability to always find the inner beauty in her surroundings and the story angle that had not yet been told.” (Tekla Szymanski)
“In one of those stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night. And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me. You will always be my friend…I shall not leave you.” (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince)
