Marion E. Michaels loved to travel with her best friend — her husband, Daniel C. Michaels. She died on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. She was 82.

A native of Guilderland Center, she met her husband at a square dance, said her oldest daughter, Debra Gearing. They married at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and raised three children in Guilderland Center, “right next to Grandma and Grandpa’s,” said Mrs. Gearing.

Mrs. Michaels was born on April 5, 1934 in Albany to Willard and Etta May Clikeman.

She was well known for her apple pies, said Mrs. Gearing, adding that her pie crusts were “almost a mile high, light and flaky.”

She was active in the Guilderland Center Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary. Her husband was a firefighter for many years and also served as chief for a time.

The Michaelses loved to camp with their Airstream, and later, with other models of motor homes, Mrs. Gearing said. They camped “everywhere,” she said, “all the way out to the state of Washington, down to Florida, the whole 50 states.” They went to many Airstream rallies over the years, and also liked going on cruises.

“They enjoyed traveling with each other. They were best friends,” said Mrs. Gearing.

Mrs. Michaels worked for about 20 years for Blue Cross Blue Shield, until her retirement, her daughter said.  She was a faithful member of the St. Mark’s’ congregation, Mrs. Gearing said, until the Guilderland Center church closed its doors.

The couple retired to Dade County, Florida, but had lived with Mrs. Gearing in South Carolina for the last few years as Mrs. Michaels struggled with Alzheimer’s.

“She was a great mom,” Mrs. Gearing recalled. “To me she was almost like a big sister, willing to talk about anything.”

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Marion E. Michaels is survived by her husband, Daniel C. Michaels, and by their three daughters, Debra Gearing and her husband, Michael, of Lake Wylie, South Carolina; Cheryl Brimingham and her husband, Mike, of Waterford; and Terry Engle and her husband, Brian, of Glendale. She is also survived by her brother, Kenneth Clikeman, and her sister, Jean Owens, and by numerous grandchildren and many other family and friends.

Her parents, Willard and Etta May Clikeman, died before her.

She will be buried in Albany at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Northeastern New York, 4 Pine West Plaza, Suite 405, Albany, New York 12205.

— Elizabeth Floyd Mair