Michelle Vinelli Adams, 47, passed away at the Lancaster General Hospital on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. She was born in Lancaster to James Michael and Jean Louise (DiSilvestra) Vinelli, and enjoyed 19 years of marriage to her husband Michael P. Adams.

A graduate of Lancaster Catholic High School, Class of 1992, Michelle completed her bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management at the University of Maryland in 2005. She served in the US Navy for 20 years, obtaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer. While in the Navy, Michelle helped shape the lives of many sailors and made lifelong friends. She was very honored to serve and utilized her skills well beyond her military service.

After the Navy, Michelle had a passion for serving others and caring for animals. She volunteered at Pitties Love Peace, a Pit Bull rescue in Elizabethtown PA, at Hempfield School District where her two boys attend, and with her church family at Reality Church. Michelle loved to share her faith and had a multicultural understanding and acceptance, along with her deep love for country. In 2012, Michelle and Mike opening their home to sponsor an exchange student from Spain who became close to them as a son which continues today. This caused them to welcome additional students from other countries into their home sharing differences with their boys. With her faith blossoming from her experience, she served 4 years as a missionary in Haiti, helping to build a school, and continues to sponsor a student through medical school.

Michelle felt that life always had to have a purpose, and nothing was going to stop her from fulfilling her purpose not even cancer. Her servant's heart and compassion for others never changed through her illness. Although she could no longer travel, she continued to find ways to serve. She volunteered her time at local businesses and continued to support Haiti from a distance.

She loved her husband and two sons beyond measure. Michelle's fight with cancer is only evidence of this love. Michelle always put her family first.

Michelle's family includes her husband Michael, and their teenage sons, Justin and Gavin Adams of Lancaster; her parents James and Jean (DiSilvestra) Vinelli of Manheim; sister, Rene Vinelli Dotter of Lancaster; her brother Chad Michael Vinelli, husband of Erin (Armstrong) of Willow Street; Michael's mother, Deborah Delaney Garbee, wife of William of Kenner, LA; and 7 nephews and 2 nieces.

Family and friends are invited to attend A Celebration of a Life Lived on Purpose by Michelle Adams on Friday, May 21, 2021 at 11:30 AM, at Reality Church, 2301 Harrisburg Pike, Suite 100, Lancaster, PA 17601. Inurnment with Military Honors accorded will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery, 700 N. George Street, York, PA 17404.

Please omit flowers, and kindly consider a memorial contribution be made to a charity dear to Michelle: PanCAN, For Pete's Sake, or A Week Away.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, PanCAN, https://www.pancan.org/ funds research into pancreatic cancer, patient services, and advocates for federal funding. Michelle along with family and friends participated in the 2019 PanCAN walk in Philadelphia.

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation supports cancer patients and loved ones through respite experiences that strengthen relationships and builds memories https://takeabreakfromcancer.org/ This mission meant a lot to Michelle as a recipient of the respite program and in 2019 Michelle promoted a fundraiser For Pete's Sake for her birthday.

A Week Away Foundation https://www.aweekaway.org/ funds respite weeks for individuals and loved ones facing life-threatening illness. Michelle and family were recipients in late summer of 2020 that was a welcome respite from not only the fight against cancer, but the stress and fear related to COVID-19.