Melissa Ann Griswold

 

Melissa Ann Griswold
Melissa Ann Griswold

Mel finished her final memoirs on September 3, 2021. Melissa Ann Griswold, the first child of Jack and Betty Griswold, was born June 11, 1965, in Potter County, Amarillo. Her domicile was in Amarillo. Her childhood dream job was to be a nurse. In kindergarten, Mel learned a hymn, “Trust and Obey” which she daily came home and taught to her sister, Venie Griswold McDaniel. Her teaching and singing began there. On a trip to visit her dad’s family who lived in Jack, Alabama, her dad’s cousin shared the Roman Road with her and started her lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. As a child, Mel loved to read. She read every biography owned by Gene Howe Elem. school. The Amarillo Public library downtown was her oasis. Signing up for the summer reading program was like Christmas. Mel graduated from Canyon High School, West Texas State University and Southwest Theological Seminary. The Baptist Student Union at WTSU and the friends made there created a solid life foundation. Mel served with the International Mission Board and served in Kokstad, and Lesotho, South Africa. Ordained by a Baptist congregation in Canyon, she was a rare Ordained Woman Baptist Minister. She taught many years at Amarillo High School, teaching government-type classes. One of her magnum opuses’ was costuming “High School Musical”. She moonlighted for about 8 years as a Lady Chaplain for NWTH in that time period. God used her childhood wish to be a nurse but added the dimension of nurse to the soul. She held teaching assignments at Friona High School as well Adrian High School. She joined the fight to save the declining Herring Hotel. It became heart and soul a part of her. She did some furniture restoration and worked at Hobby Lobby. Recently she had been leading tour groups out at The Goodnight Ranch in Clarendon. PPHM became a second home to her in the mid-’80s. She repaired strings of seed beads on Flapper dresses and preserved and mounted historic Texas flags. Her work on the centennial anniversary of WWI, The Great War was another magnum opus, traveling to every county seat in the Texas Panhandle collecting photos and researching the project. She would want you to know how much she treasured the relatives from Alabama, and her inner circle of friends, Glenna, Terrell, her nieces and nephew and the students she nurtured. She loved to travel, sew/costume, cook, study history, do genealogy, find the lost and research. She could sing like a nightingale. Really it would be easier to list the one thing that she wasn’t good at…Math. She did anything she set her mind to and always worked at it harder than a ‘coal mine’ mule. She had multiple facets and brilliant colors like a 2-carat South African diamond. Summing her life up is too much to list, like the estate sales that she enjoyed.

 
She was preceded in death by both sets of grandparents, her parents, her aunt and uncles on her mom’s side and an aunt on her dad’s side.
 
She is survived by aunt Mable Lee, Elba, Alabama; her only sister Venie McDaniel and husband Earl of Borger, Texas; Venie’s children: Alyssa Moore and husband Nicholas of Lubbock, Janae McDaniel of Denver, Colorado, CJ McDaniel and partner Makayla Contrerez., Mia A., Makayla’s daughter of Amarillo, Tessa McDaniel of Borger, Brenna McDaniel of Stinnett; a chosen mother, Glenna Schmidt of Amarillo; a chosen son, Terrell Slocum and wife Trina, and children Carson and Jenson of Amarillo; mentor Bob Goodrich; chosen family: Heather Fuentes and husband Eddie along with their children; treasured friend, Cindy Wallace; precious friends, Mr. and Mrs. David A. Corbin (Loretta) and family; spiritual parents and cousins: Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Williams (Annie Merle) and family of Jack, Alabama; and cousins Andre Anderson (Beth) and family of Jackson, Georgia, Ricky Anderson and family of Abernathy, and Peter Anderson (Liz) and family of Brownfield.
 

Memorial Services will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, at Palo Duro Canyon’s Mack Dick Pavilion, 111450 Park Rd 5, Canyon, TX 79015. A prompt RSVP is required by 9/27 due to facility restrictions. Please view the link to her celebration of life webpage and RSVP: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/melgriswoldmemorial. Burial will be later near the old home at the New Hope Baptist Church, New Hope, AL.

The party won’t be the same without her. Our Mel will be missed. She left us with this. If you are reading this… I am FINALLY with my Bridegroom.

22 Replies to “Melissa Ann Griswold”

  1. Melissa your memorial service was a great tribute to your life and legacy. You were one of the first people to welcome me to WT and BSU and Calvary Baptist and I still think of all my brothers and sisters in Christ from that time in our lives and how you guys taught me to be faithful. I only hope to do as much for the Kingdom as you have. Save me a seat in the choir and see ya soon.

  2. Melissa was always SO passionate about every endeavor! So sorry to hear of her passing. Many prayers for all the family❤️

  3. I’m so sorry to hear about Melissa’s passing; she was my dear friend and apartment neighbor that I knew from my college years at WTSU. She had a sweet, uplifting spirit and was a truly genuine person. I have nothing but fond memories of her that I will treasure. I’m glad that I got to be counted as one of her friends.

  4. Melissa. You were a true testament to what a Christian is to be – faithful , god fearing and forgiving. You had always had a kind word to offer anyone who was down. You lived a full life and I knew you would make your mark not only on earth but in heaven. I know you are in heaven sitting right by our lord and smiling down o the rest of us. Rest in peace

    1. Venie here. You don’t know how much it means to me that you took the time to post. I hope you and your family are well. If you get a minute would you please fire me an email. That email is: [email protected]

  5. I will never forget Melissa’s kindness to me. A unique and beautiful soul, I took for granted that I would run into her when visiting in Canyon. I didn’t know all the wonderful projects in which she was involved. Rest In Peace my friend💜

  6. Rest In Peace. She was a good friend. I remember her at the police department but where I really got to know her was at the downtown library. A very sweet lady

  7. Melissa was a jewel. I worked with her at Northwest Texas Hospital, and she always had a smile. She brought joy to nurses, patients, and families alike. She was passionate about helping people. She will be missed.

  8. We will miss you Melissa. Your knowledge on history was awesome. We had fun at the History days at Palo Duro Canyon. . loved working with you at Hobby Lobby! Miss your smile and laughter ..
    Jimmy and Tina Green. ❤

  9. Melissa was the most involved and hard working lady I have ever known. Her energy must have been given to her by the Lord Himself. I know that she will be greatly missed by all.

  10. She was taken far too soon, but I know she is blessing heaven with her beautiful voice. I am praying for all of her nieces, her nephew, Venie, and Earl. May God comfort those left behind! All I know is Melissa has truly gotten the best end of the deal. She is with her bridegroom!

  11. Melissa is a dear friend of mine for many years. She stepped up and took my Mom’s place preparing for my wedding helping me make my leather longhunters coat and sewing my wedding shirt for myself and my best man. I will miss her historical clothing advise and her friendship. Rest In Peace my friend.

  12. Such an amazing woman and lifelong friend and classmate! Went to school with Melissa at Gene Howe and we became close at Canyon Junior High and beyond graduation. I moved off to college and we lost touch until Facebook. She never ceases to amaze me and will surely be missed by me and so many others whose life she touched.

  13. Melissa and I kept crossing paths— in church choir at First Baptist in Amarillo and her tours of the Herring Hotel.
    Amarillo had lost a gifted musician and history expert of our city and the Panhandle.
    I lost a good friend.
    Melissa was one of a kind.

    May God send strength and grace to Venie and all of her family.

  14. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James I:17.
    I knew her as Mel. She came as a gift to the jobs of work I was–and am–humbled to have the privilege of doing during my last few of 31 years at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. She and I shared a love for the Herring Hotel and we worked in tandem giving tours of it and downtown Amarillo. This segued into invaluable research she did for the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum exhibitions “The Great War and the Panhandle-Plains Region” (2017) and “Cattle, Cowboys & Culture: Amarillo and Kansas City, Building an Urban West” (2017-2020). Mel also helped with personal research on my own family history. She was a giver and a fierce fighter for the wronged. I am a better person and the world is a better place for the time Mel Griswold walked on it. Much obliged, Mel. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:21.

  15. What a beautiful memorial and tribute to Melissa. I met her through PPHM functions and was so impressed with her knowledge. Ken and I are sorry for your loss. She really did shine like that diamond you described!

  16. Melissa, your many accomplishments through the years are so much you. I pray that you are at peace and you are gleaming in the radiant light of our Savior. My prayers are with those left behind. We will hear your beautiful voice again.

  17. For those of us left behind, you were taken too soon. You touched so many people lives from every walk of life, you shall be missed by many.
    You left small portions of yourself at every museum in tri-state area, recently taking a whirlwind trip during a pandemic to California to retrieve a long lost saddle for a local museum. You gave untold numbers of tours of Amarillo’s Famous Herring Hotel. It was her dream to see The Herring Hotel to come full circle, to be rebuilt in it’s true Historic beauty. You shall be missed by all.

  18. Venue I am saddened to learn of the passing of your sister I had wondered how all of your family was doing I am still at same place and phone number so please contact me so we can stay in touch 🙏🙏🙏 Peggy newman Amarillo

  19. I met Melissa on my first day of 5th grade at Gene Howe. It was my first day at a new school and she was the only one that played with me at recess. We graduated together from Canyon High School. God bless her family in their time of grief. I pray God’s comfort over you.

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