I received so many stories that I couldn't dedicate a day for each, thankfully it is a leap year so I am able to include the remaining stories here!
Melissa's Tribe
Author: Joellen Messerli
When I remember my friend, Melissa, it’s with a giant smile on my face and a warm & fuzzy feeling in my heart. She was a joy and I miss her every day.
I first met Melissa at Indian Hills Country Club, during the summer swim season when she and Sarah Clark were Swim Chairs. I adored her immediately and knew right away that I wanted to be part of her tribe. She had me at stories of late nights in the ADR, fun and crazy road trips with friends and craft projects!
It wasn’t too long after I met her that she found out she had cancer. It was hard to believe what she was going through because every day she was at the pool, smiling and laughing and of course, wearing pink. Jeff and Melissa has just become members at Indian Hills that summer but we’re instantly beloved members of the IHCC family, The Tribe. Our friendship started that summer at the pool and grew to include many more tribes.
Bridge Tribe:
We started playing bridge about the same time and spent many hours together on Wednesday afternoons learning the game ... and maybe drinking some wine. J Melissa had a way of making you feel like you were the best player at the table. Maybe even the best player in the room! She always brighter the room with her smile and her laugh, and an occasion craft.
Craft Tribe:
Yep, there were crafts! Melissa was the queen of crafts. She loved to bring craft projects for us to do after Wednesday Bridge, on road trips and at book club … Valentines cards for her littlest tribe members, M&M Turkeys and Christmas ornaments made from playing cards. It was a delightful tradition that she made even more delightful with her enthusiasm and her infectious smile!
Book Club Tribe:
Melissa was always gathering friends, planning a party or organizing some sort of group activity. She was such a positive influence. One Tuesday Wine Night, (yep, more wine) while most of us, including me, we’re lamenting about not being in a book club, Melissa simply decided we should just stop complaining about it and start our own. After a few more glasses of wine (there it is again!), the OFBC was born! Boy, did Melissa make the OFBC a lot of fun! She hosted our very first book club evening in April 2014. Always the life of the party, and never shy about her opinion, she made book club fun, interesting, and educational.
Road Trip Tribe:
Road trips are one of my favorite memories of my friendship with Melissa! Of course Melissa was the most organized of us, showing up with special snacks, craft projects and coolers full of the essentials, including plenty of …wait for it … wine!! One particular road trip to Colorado, Melissa was unable to go with us, but she was sure there in spirit. She sent her joy along in the form of silly props, complete with instructions on how to wear them and on sending her photo-proof. And, of course, she included a craft project!
A very fond road trip memory was a weekend at the farm to play bridge, take hikes and drink wine, duh! As always, she was the life of the road trip … the last one to go to bed, the first one up and always wanted to play “just one more hand!” Melissa also brought all of the supplies for a thanksgiving craft … and we had to make them before we could get back to bridge playing. She promised us it would be worth the effort (stuffing M&Ms into little pieces of tulle, hot-gluing on tiny wiggly eyes and attaching those darn pipe cleaners as the finishing touch) and of course they were so cute that we all made extras to take home for our family feast.
Our last road trip was a special one, and although Melissa was not feeling up to it, she mustered up the energy and off we went to Bella Vista, Arkansas! It was a cold and raining weekend, but that didn’t stop Melissa from making the most of our time together. We brought plenty of shiny, flashing, glowing things, and we sang songs, played games, watched movies and took a million pictures of ourselves with glow sticks, rings and Melissa’s special glow princess crown!
Melissa had endless Tribes, but the ones I was in were the best! We laughed, we cried, we played, we crafted and we drank plenty of wine. I will always cherish these memories and think of Melissa with joy and gratefulness for having known her.
Melissa, I miss you every day and will see you again! I have comfort knowing that you are resting in peace now, with your Heavenly Tribe!
Love,
Jo
Big Heart
Author: Shelley Howe
Melissa was one of the first people I met when we moved to KC 9 years ago. We met in the parking lot at IHCC on our first day of 4 hole golf. We laughed at golf and many more times through the years. Melissa has such a huge heart just like a giraffe. She was great at including me and introducing me to many friends.
We always give Melissa credit for the house we live in. Shortly after we moved to KC we decided we wanted to look for a different house. Melissa and I went on a few open houses and she called one day with a house we needed to look at in her neighborhood. We loved the house and living close to the Anthony’s.
Melissa touched many lives including mine and her smile and big heart continues to touch lives. I can still hear her saying “kk” and smiling! :)
