Obituary: Melhus, Stephanie Marie
Stephanie passed away on November 22nd, 2014 in Wakefield, England, after a brief battle with pneumonia.
Stephanie is survived by her father Richard at the family homestead, her brother Chris and wife Kelli, her nephews Ethan and Jacob, and her aunt Marian of Spokane, WA, as well as numerous cousins.
She is preceded in death by her mother, Victoria in 2009.
After graduating from Rosalia High School, she attended Eastern Washington University, and followed in her mother’s footsteps, graduating with honors in the field of social work.
She took a position with the State of Washington and worked for DSHS in Seattle, until an opportunity to work abroad brought her to England, where she continued her work in social services for the Wakefield district.
While there, she continued to attend master’s classes, and obtained her MSW from Hutterfield University, while also traveling extensively throughout Europe, North Africa, the Scandinavian countries and the Canary Islands.
Always the proud American, Stephanie always mentioned that in the end, nothing could compare to her America.
Beyond travel, she also took much pleasure in her creative writing, and especially her poetry, which she often shared through spoken word poetry events, garnering rave reviews.
She will be remembered for her sense of humor, infectious smile, and ability to make anyone feel welcome, no matter the situation.
Both her friends and family will undoubtedly treasure the many memories she has left us with, from a life that was well lived, even if so short.
A service will be held on December 11th in England, and following that, her ashes will be returned to the U.S., with a family service and interment in her family plot at Pine City Cemetery in the spring, her favorite time of year.
Stephanie’s greatest passion in life was the protection and well being of neglected, abused, or otherwise vulnerable women and children, and she dedicated her career, and even her free time, to working to better conditions for those she worked so diligently for.
In regard to that, the family requests that any donations in her name be made to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, 1004 E. 8th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99202.