Michelle Fournier: A Beautiful Bright Light

She was the kind of mom who invited her adult kids over for dinner every night even after they moved out.

She was famous for her meatballs, sauces and just about everything else she cooked.

Two nights before she was killed at Salon Meritage, Michelle Fournier made her son Chad Huff, 26, his favorite birthday dinner. It was the last time he would see her alive. Police say Fournier's ex-husband Scott Dekraai killed her (and seven others) over a custody dispute involving their 8-year-old son, Dominic.

Fournier’s Monday memorial was the last service held for the massacre's eight victims.

Hundreds gathered at Cottonwood Church to celebrate the life of the 48-year-old mother of three. They mourned her passing, and cried for the little boy who will miss out on a lifetime of his mother’s love.

Pastor Gene Pietrini encouraged mourners to dwell on their positive memories of Fournier rather than the painful details of her death.

“I believe we as a community need to leave behind a legacy of love and forgiveness and compassion—not of hatred or bitterness or revenge,” said Pietrini.

A photo montage offered a glimpse of a woman who loved and laughed hard. Born in 1963, Fournier moved as a child from Massachusetts to Lakewood. She was a dark-haired beauty who loved to dance. Cindy Pagano, her best friend of 40 years, recalled the day they met:

“Signal Hill, third grade. She wore purple velvet knickers and had a Boston accent. I never thought she would be my lifelong friend. By junior high, we were inseparable—doing talent shows that she choreographed. She was always a great dancer.”

At Lakewood High School, she earned a formidable reputation as a cheerleader.

“That cheerleader was competitive," Pagano said, laughing. “She earned the name 'Game Nazi,' always having the rulebook nearby.”

Fournier also made a difference in people’s lives.

“This outpouring of love really reflects the person that Michelle was," Pagano said. "Looking at all of these people’s lives that she touched, it’s unreal. We can’t be sad she’s gone. We have to be grateful that we had her for as long as we did. She touched a lot of lives. She was kind and generous. She was a lover of life: A bright light, a beautiful bright light, too bright of a soul to ever be forgotten.”

As a mother, Fournier radiated comfort and warmth, always giving, recalled her daughter, Chelsea Huff.

“She always told me I was too much of a dreamer, so much of a romantic, but I always secretly knew she was all those things, too,” Huff said.

“She was an amazing cook, and what an Italian mama she was—always in the kitchen," Huff said. "She wouldn’t sit down until she knew that everyone had a plate. I remember occasions where we were having second helpings before she even sat down.

“When I think about a life without my mom, my mind dwells on future events she won’t be able to attend,” Huff said. “As my mother would say, 'Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be.' She will be missed. She will be loved. She will be treasured. I love you, Mom.”

In addition to her children, Fournier is survived by her parents, brothers Craig Burke and Butch Fournier, and sister Renee Hudson.