Melissa Black Jessop passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 20, 2014, at the age of 44, in her home in Ogden. She was born November 19, 1969 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania to Karl Dean Black and Claudia Porter Black.

She attended schools in Springville, Utah where she excelled academically and received many honors, including Foreign Language Sterling Scholar. She was selected to attend the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge as a youth representative, and served as a delegate at Girl’s State. She was a dancer with the Springville Community Ballet Dance Theater. She played doubles for 3 years on the Springville High School Tennis Team.

After high school she performed with the Dance Company and LD Singers at Snow College, graduating in 1990. She served a full-time mission for the LDS Church in the Argentina, Trelew Mission from 1990-1992, then continued her education at Utah State where she again danced and performed with the LDS Institute show choir “New Horizons” and the Utah State Modern Dance Company. She graduated in 1994 with a degree in English with an emphasis in professional and technical writing. She was accepted to the University of Utah School of Law, but chose instead to focus on her family.

She worked as a trail walker and office manager for the Anasazi Foundation, working with troubled youth. She also worked as a writer for the Infinity Corporation and a technical writer and project manager for the Waterford Institute.

She married and was sealed to Samuel Jessop November 4, 2000, in the Mount Timpanogos Temple, beginning a family which would grow to include 6 children, three of whom passed away in infancy. Melissa’s unfailing faith helped her face and overcome trials with unwavering courage and dignity. She viewed her challenge with cancer as a journey of learning. Melissa loved dancing, singing, writing, organizing (especially with containers), but most of all she loved her family, and serving others.

She was member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served in various church callings with distinction. She was happy to serve wherever she was needed. Her true joy in life was serving others. Melissa will always be remembered as a self-sacrificing, compassionate woman who was full of faith and goodness. She emulated the Savior in every way throughout her life. Everyone who knew her felt of her love for them.

She is survived by her husband: Samuel Porter Jessop; her children: Cassandra Elizabeth Jessop, Austin Porter Jessop, Bethany Ruth Jessop; her mother: Claudia Porter Jackson (Ralph); her siblings: Laurie (Brent) Whiting, David Black, Adam Black, Kimberli (Jeff) Barrow, Christopher Black, Jennifer Black, Triana (Jeremy) Pledger, Michael Black. She was preceded in death by her father Karl Dean Black and her children: Karl Jaymes Jessop, Caleb Joshua Jessop, and Daniel Allred Jessop.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. In the Lorin Farr Stake Center, 480 East 7th Street, Ogden, Utah. There will be a viewing held Monday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Myers Mortuary, 845 Washington Blvd, Ogden and Tuesday morning at the church from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. prior to the services. Interment will be at 3:00 p.m. at Springville Evergreen Cemetery, 1997 South 400 East, Springville, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to a mission/college fund for her children on this site or to the general missionary fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.