For the past six months, she has been putting together a book detailing the history of some of the Teviot Valley's first families, including that of her late husband, Alan.
Those families arrived in the district in search of gold and patriarchs of two pioneers, Andrew Young and James Woodhouse, are credited with an initial discovery at the junction of the Teviot and Clutha Rivers in 1862.
"They are the living history of the area ... they [the pioneers' descendants] are all still living here in the district," Mrs Michelle said.
As part of her research, she spoke to various family members and said relating information back to other sides of the family was one of the most rewarding aspects as it got them excited about their own histories.
The idea to write the book came from volunteering at the local museum.
"We had a lot of inquiries from people passing through and locals. They wanted to know about their past and what we had in the museum that would relate back to their families, but things were all over the place in the museum.
"We had started to put things into various files but it was a grant from the Central Lakes Trust under the banner of the Gold 150 that really pushed it."
Last year, the trust announced a $200,000 pool of funding available for celebrations marking 150 years since the discovery of gold.
She said one of the most interesting things she discovered was the legacy of public service running through some families.
"It was one thing that stood out to me ... the families that were public-service minded way back then are still involved in politics. [Roxburgh Community Board chairman] Stephen Jeffery for example, generations of his family have been in local politics."
Because of a page limit to the book, Mrs Michelle said she had to restrict herself to families who settled between 1862 and 1870.
Due to interest from others, she thought there might be a follow-up book focusing on later families.
The book, Gold Mining Families of the Teviot Valley, 150 Years 1862-2012, will be available through the Teviot District Museum in Roxburgh following its launch there tomorrow. Copies will also be donated to local libraries and schools.
