Meet Your Neighbor Michelle Bridgewater of Stronghurst. Michelle is the dental receptionist at the Henderson County Health Care Center in Stronghurst. She has been employed there for five months and also works part time at Distin and Doyle Optometry in Monmouth.
Michelle was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, and lived in that area for 34 years.
She graduated in 1989 from Marian High School in Mishawaka, Indiana and is currently a part-time student at Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa, enrolled in business education classes.
She has one son, Justin VanMele (17) who is a junior and on the honor roll at West Central High School.
She enjoys flower gardening, shopping, traveling, cleaning and collecting Boyd's Bears.
Her father is Richard VanMele and lives in Sebastian, Florida. He is on the Board of Directors of Notre Dame University for South Bend in Florida. Her step-mother is Debra Van Mele who is a CPA in Sebastian. Her mom, Mary Stewart, lives in South Bend, Indiana.
Michelle has one sister, Mary (Thomas) Gallegos who also live in Sebastian, Florida. Mary and Thomas have two sons, Anthony (10) and Michael (4).
She has traveled several places, with her parents, including Spain, Africa and Hawaii.