Melissa was a wonderful role model for the swimmers at the Y, in her swimming skills as well as her smile and positive attitude. It was an honor to know her.

I had the pleasure of spending time with Melissa on only a handful of occasions. Liz and I met in high school, so my remembrances of Melissa are of her driving us somewhere before we could drive ourselves, or more recently, of her accompanying Liz as we visited together.

What I most recall is that Melissa had a bubbly-ness to her, with a quick laugh, sparkly eyes, and such a pretty face. I am full of thanks for the qualities of goodness, cheer, and a certain amount of fearlessness that I hear she had, because I imagine she must have passed on these traits that I admire so much in my friend, Liz.

Hey your smile ....it won't be the same without your smile....it is everywhere in the pictures...it will be what I look for when finding you with the Lord ...miss you though you were a balance here for me...yet you sure knew how to love...all the best ones go before us

Mellisa,it is difficult to comprehend that your infectious laugh has been silenced. You will forever be remembered by those who loved you and you are missed at the dinner table

Melissa was a very special woman. When she learned that I was formerly a pastor in the Presbyterian church she began recognizing me as "Pastor George." Of course, I've been recognized as Pastor George for some time, but her recognition of my calling had special meaning to me. There was a special sincerity to her recognition that I can say I'd never truly appreciated with my former parishioners. She was always in attendance and engaged in my Bible studies. She looked forward to them and was genuinely disappointed when I had to take a night off. He warm and joyful spirit, I believe, overcame any discomfort, anxiety and doubt that she had in life. I'm going to miss her physical presence but know that her spirit and her devotion to the Lord will be constant reminders to persevere and to look forward to the day when my Maker will also call me home. Then I shall sit at table with Him and see my friend Melissa sitting across from me, smiling and saying, 'You're going to love it here, Pastor George. Welcome home!

Many blessings to Melissa's family and friends. May you experience profound peace and assurance of her heavenly rest and your faithful reunion with her in the Lord's time.

23 November 2014.
The CoolPoolPeople at the Skagit YMCA in Mount Vernon, WA, will miss our friend. Melissa was a regular, then an outstanding swimmer who surpassed us all! She had to pull back when she had some infirmities, and it broke our hearts to see her with a walker while her hip healed. Blessed with perfect hair and a lovely, trim swimsuit body, Melissa was respected by everyone at the "Y." I still have 3 blue glass candle holders on my windowsill with which she gifted me on my birthday -- for those windy times when the lights go out on Cook Road. I am not sure Melissa ever understood my irony, but she did have a unique laugh that I'll always remember from the showers! How I wish I had her smooth swimming skills... Kudos for the family for sharing so many photos of our friend, as we did not know her family. I agree that she loved and missed her work at the MV City Library. We spoke of it often. May Melissa rest in peace. Susan Redd.

Melissa truly made a difference in this world. She left behind millions of small kindnesses - often given to people who rarely received them. She reached out to the homeless, the mentally ill, the sick and the elderly. It was clear that she wanted to live her life by the golden rule and I believe she truly succeeded. May she rest in peace.

I loved my grandma because she was always nice. She was fun to play games with. She was fun in every way. Love, Nate

We remember Melissa as a sweet wonderful woman with a smile that was always lighting up her face. When she came to our cottage she had a great time and just loved floating in the water on one of the many noodles. She would talk and laugh and have a wonderful time. We'll all miss her and her gentle ways. Love ya Melissa

Grandma Melissa showed us the value of a good sense of humor. Even when she was upset, she could always laugh at herself.

She was the coolest babysitter we ever had. A visit from Grandma meant reruns of the ultra-violent Walker Texas Ranger or the melodramatic JAG. She may have had a little bit of a crush on badass SFPD detective, Nash Bridges.

Despite living thousands of miles away, she invariably observed my birthday with a card and a check for fifteen dollars annotated with "Deposit this!" and a little smiley face.

She displayed a rare degree of empathy for everyone she came in contact with. She effortlessly befriended the homeless regulars at her library, people with living lifestyles, and of course her grandchildren.

She was also fearless. I remember watching her perform some sort of interpretive dance involving colorful flags in front a church congregation. Her attitude enabled a truly unencumbered display of faith through motion, despite no formal training.

I'm struck by her consistent effortless kindness. There was never any sort of calculation. If she had the power to help, she would. That is greatest lesson Grandma Melissa taught us.

To write this note means to accept Melissa has gone ahead. Before Steve and I married, I remember staying with Melissa and Craig in Bellevue....I guess we all grew up together. Marrying and divorcing twice, Craig and Melissa forever loved each other but because of their differences found living together difficult. Together they created three gifts of God in their children. I forever will remember Melissa's vitality, giggle, love of life and of the Lord. She left too soon but she is now with the Lord she loved so much.

Since Liz was my best friend in high school, I had a lot of opportunities to interact with Melissa when i spent time at her house. She always had a smile and welcomed me warmly into her home. As the years went on, my family became Liz's family and vice versa due to the amount of time we spent with one another. Melissa was so wonderfully different from my Mom whom I thought, at the time, only ever cooked and cleaned. Melissa ran in 10K races with her daughter, worked outside the home and made terrific salads. Most importantly, at a time in my life when I so desperately needed to be liked and accepted for who I was, Melissa always took interest in how I was doing. Being beautiful strawberry blonde, Melissa always commented on my dark hair. One day, she gave me darling,handmade raggedy Ann and Andy dolls with dark, curly hair just like my own. What a wonderful gesture and validation to a teenage girl that only wished she could have any hair but her own! I am so glad to have these dolls by which to always remember her. I would anyway, though. She's just not a person you ever forget.