I am the mother of Jami Tolman, a friend to Melissa. I only met Melissa once last year while she was taking her children into the school. Jami told me that day of her cancer and how much she loved Melissa. This last month as Jami watched her friend leave this world she shared with me how hard it was to watch her and her family suffer. She said she didn’t know why Melissa had come into her life but she knows there is a reason for their friendship and if for nothing else, her example. She said she wants to be just like her, and coming from an already incredible woman, that is quite a compliment and tells me, a stranger, how wonderful Melissa is. I hope I am privileged enough to be their friend in the next life. Thank you Melissa for all you gave, especially to my daughter. HUGS!

by Marilyn Burt

I knew Melissa when she was a student in my class at Springville Junior High. Her face is still clear in my memory; I remember exactly where she sat in my class close to thirty years ago. What a wonderful young lady she was then, bright, humble, sweet…and she grew up to magnify those qualities. I am so sorry for your loss. May the peace of the gospel bring rest to your mind. You are all in my prayers.

by Marilee Bird

Today, as I attended the celebration of Melissa’s life my heart was so touched by the comments from her family, her bishop and a general authority. Thank you all for sharing so much about Melissa and for giving us who are not her family a glimpse of more of the wonderful person that she is.

I was a former roommate of Melissa’s at Utah State University. We had a wonderful year of experiencing life, trials of faith, love, and great fun together. Some of my fondest memories of Melissa, during that time, were of her running to and fro, almost like a butterfly. She would flit from one class to another, stopping in at our apartment to grab an apple or yogurt, stuff some “stuff” into her brown bag that was always on her hip and then away she would go. She was like a quick blast of wind that would blow into our apartment and then back out, always leaving us with a big smile and even an apology. It would always make us smile. I loved our talks, our fun “movie” nights where she would immediately fall asleep, always with her mouth open, our dancing around, and our even more fun “toyota” jumps!

I have so much appreciated the friendship that we continued to have after our college days and was so grateful that our husbands got along so well together and that we had the fun times that we did.

Melissa was such a wonderful example to me of always looking for the good in a situation, for always striving to have faith when it seems too hard to have faith, and she showed me what it truly means to love others and serve. I will miss her sweet friendship and look forward to the time when I will see her again and will be able to hug her and tell her how much I love and appreciate her.

Samuel, please know we are here for you and your family anytime you need us!! We love you all, and our prayers will be with you now and in the future!!

by Mike Swendsen

Laurie,

What a great story that truly epitomizes the kind, thoughtful, loving person Melissa was! I have found myself reflecting a lot the last few days of how much fun we all had growing up next door to each other! The days and especially summer nights were spent for hours on end outside. Melissa was always the peacemaker whenever any of us disagreed and played the mother hen to keep us in line but was kind about it. She wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of. I remember she shared whatever she had with whoever would accept it. An odd yet clear memory comes to mind of her regularly making cheese & mayo sandwiches and handing them out to all the neighborhood kids. Something so simple yet a lesson in looking out for and serving others. While I am struggling to understand why she was given this mortal trial that took her from her family at such a young age, I find comfort in the knowledge that she is in a better place, free from the pain that cancer brought. She was my friend and I loved her…

by Janet Averret

Melissa is married to my brother and became a dear friend over the 13 1/2 years I’ve known her. Marrying her was the best decision my brother could have made. She has added so much beauty, joy and peace to his life (and all of our lives).

If I could find a word to describe Melissa, it would be “righteous” and “Christlike.” She was (and still is) full of love, faith, patience, wisdom, and gentleness. One of my many choice experiences with her came at a time I was struggling to know what degree to choose. I had 5 children still at home and a disabled husband and found the need to finish my education to provide more adequately for our family.

I had been attending college for several years and was a Senior at BYU and still wasn’t sure what degree to choose.. Nursing… Teaching… Speech Therapy… Psychology… I loved and was interested in so many thing but I wanted to make the best choice that I’d love and be happy doing for the rest of my life. Sam recommended I call her and talk to her, which was a great idea. I told her I felt that every time I prayed about it, Father would say “Whatever you choose would be okay.” But I wanted Him to choose Continued

“I guess so!” I use to say with an obvious bothered tone. My little sister Melissa, three years younger than I, always asked to borrow my clothes. I’d let her, but I wasn’t happy about it, and she knew it. Sure, I recognized that she had nothing “in style” to wear, at least I knew I never wanted to borrow anything of hers. Still, my 17-year-old selfish side was really sick of sharing. I was a senior in high school and had acquired a wardrobe that was far from the envy of most of my classmates. But, I had a few nice things, all painstakingly bought either on sale or off a clearance rack, making the most of the little money I had. Melissa on the other hand, had mostly hand-me-downs, whichmade their way to our houseful of kids from the neighbors around us.

I really wouldn’t have minded Melissa borrowing my clothes so much if it weren’t for one thing. She was notorious for spilling food down the front of her. I don’t know how it happened time after time, but I think everything of mine she ever borrowed came back with a ketchup or mustard stain dead center on the chest.

“Oh my heck, Melissa, not again, do you eat everything with ketchup and mustard on it!” But she was always so sorry; her dark brown eyes a mirror of her sincere regret. Continued