Melissa H. Newman

God called his child, Melissa Hope Newman, home on Oct. 31, 2009. Melissa was living in Bozeman and had recently been ill with the flu.

Born April 23, 1987, in Townsend, Melissa is survived by her mother, Katrina (Jim) Workman; her father, Tim (Lisa) Newman and half-brother, Kaden and half-sister, Holly; sister, RaeAnn (Justin) Hoveland and their children, Trey and Trenton; brother Andy Newman; grandparents, Phyllis Newman, Hubert Plymale, Don and Charlotte Lewis, Sally and Andy Hansen, Terry and Bryl Newman; aunts and uncles, Chris and Melissa Newman, Tammy and Dana Rauser, Edwin and Tracy Spatzierath, Shawn Lewis, Dusty Newman, Anissa and Chad Skidmore; and numerous cousins.

It is so very hard to describe Melissa and who she really was. We do know one thing for sure; she was saved and was spiritually born into God's family while attending a church youth camp as a young teenager.

Melissa was our Drama Queen - everything was always so traumatic, and she did in fact suffer from some very real traumas in her life. At the age of 8 she was rushed to Salt Lake City where an exploratory surgery revealed a teratoma tumor which was removed. Then at the age of 19 she was diagnosed with Addison's disease which would eventually lead to her death.

Melissa (or Sis, as her family would always call her) loved to cheer, dance and model. She was looking forward to moving to Texas and starting a new life there, eventually becoming a model.

After graduating from Broadwater High School in 2005, Melissa attended MSU in Bozeman and then had to give up school because of her Addison's. She worked for the Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman for the past several years.

Melissa was bold and she was beautiful and a ball of energy. She was a greeter to people and has now been greeted at the Gates of Heaven by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She no longer suffers from Addison's or has to face another trauma. She never has to take another shower, which she truly hated having to do, she never has to pick up her clothes or clean house. She is forever safe in her Father's arms, walking those streets of pure gold and dwelling in that mansion which was prepared especially for her.

Thank you, God, for blessing us with Melissa and allowing her to be a spot of sunshine in our lives.

A celebration of Melissa's life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at Broadwater High School gymnasium in Townsend. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Connors Funeral Home, 212 Broadway, Townsend.