Melody Gough

Melody Gough

A fighter to the end, Melody Gough, 53, of Reno, Nevada, passed away peacefully at her home on February 9, 2015 with her husband and pug by her side. She had bravely confronted and battled advanced breast cancer for the last 3½ years of her life. She was a beautiful, compassionate woman whose beauty radiated from her inside and out.

She was born December 22, 1961 in Watsonville, California and resided in Reno for the last 35 years. She graduated from high school in Stateline, Nevada in 1979 and received bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Nevada Reno.

Before being diagnosed with cancer, Melody was an English and Poetry teacher at the University of Nevada Reno and Truckee Meadows Community College. It was her infectious love of teaching that allowed her to be able to touch the lives of her many students, not only in the subject of English, but in life lessons as well.

Melody was also an avid runner, having run several half marathons and other races until her cancer robbed her of her ability to run long distances due to a hip replacement. Despite this setback, she was able to compete in several shorter races and was always planning her next race until the very end.

She is survived by her husband of 33 years, Eric Kronawetter, her pug Penny, half-brother Bob, half-sister Linda, nieces Julie and Jennifer, and nephew Jeff. She was preceded in death by her pug Paula and her parents Jim and Eileen.

At her request, no services are planned.

Melody is now at peace with Paula Pug by her side forever. The daily pain that her cancer made her endure is gone. She and Paula will be free to spend their days together, just as it was always meant to be.

In the end, a poem by an unknown author illustrates how Mel lived for her last years,

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love.

It cannot shatter hope.

It cannot corrode faith.

It cannot eat away peace.

It cannot destroy confidence.

It cannot kill friendship.

It cannot shut out memories.

It cannot silence courage.

It cannot reduce eternal life.

It cannot quench the Spirit.