751. On the passing of Melanie Denise Lewis

MELANIE DENISE LEWIS (1972-2012)

We buried Melanie today.  She was 40.  Melanie was the mother of two of my three nieces and two of my three nephews.  She and my brother had an off-again, on-again relationship for nearly twenty years.  It wasn't all pretty and it wasn't all bad.  Melanie had demons like all of us and the cause of her death at such a young age may have been related to one of those demons.  Ultimately it was a stroke which ended her young life.

Over the years, Melanie was sometimes quiet around me but never rude.  I can attest that she was a good cook.  For a few years, she and my brother lived in my home - and I never went hungry.  Later, when they lived on Harlan Avenue, I was often treated to a plate of fried chicken, green beans, sweet potatoes, greens, and lots of other good cooking.  I never turned it down; it was always good.

But I know she caused problems for my brother over the years.  For most of the last ten years, he has raised the youngest three of their children on his own.  While she wasn't present in the house, she was never far off, never more than a few blocks away.  She saw her children on a regular basis, including the day before she fell ill with the stroke.

It is never good when a parent has to bury their child as Melanie's mother, Vera, did today.  Nor can it be good that my youngest nieces and nephews, ages 9, 11, 13, and 17 today laid their mother to rest.  It was very sad.  While there are lots of reasons to wish this day had never happened, she is now at peace.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed rest - rest in peace.