Welcome!

I would like to thank everyone for all of the support during this time.  I have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity that has been shown during this very difficult time.  I have begun to list the favorite memories that were gathered during Melissa's visitation and service.  I hope that you can enjoy these memories as much as I have while reading through them.

• "My favorite memory is when Mrs. Fralic takes care of us at school.  She is a great teacher and I love her very much."     -Shelbie Choponis
• "Melissa radiated joy!  Her laughter was contagious.  Nothing but love for her.
• "Melissa's beautiful smile."
• "I had Melissa as a student in high school and what I remember most is her wonderful smile.  Also, at her wedding, how much our grandson, Matthew, loved dancing with her and her bridesmaids."     -Karen Moore
• "My favorite is when I got to shadow her during high school.  She and her husband have made a huge impact on me and I am extremely grateful to both."
• "Their wedding."
• "Going wedding dress shopping when Eden was getting fitted for her flower girl dress."
• "Her big smile."     -Tom and DJ Weber
•  "My favorite memory is her happy smile and happy personality!"     -Jen Hlady
• "I remember Melissa was brave and came to school when others would have stayed home.  I remember she loved her students and wanted them to have just the right books so they could read them by themselves.  I remember when she couldn't get up from sitting on the floor at story time, so her students helped her up because they loved her."
• Melissa got a new sound on her phone (it sounded like a whip), and she would pretend to move her phone like a whip and it would make that sound.  Her laughter was a favorite one too.     -Candace Aksamitowski
• "Green-eyes, Yogi Bear camping, band, summers playing."     -Sara (Slonecki) Kersey
• "Melissa was always there for me in my first year of teaching.  She was so kind and generous.  Such a blessing to have known her and learned from her in the year I worked with her."
• "Watching Melissa walking her class in the Halloween parades.  Big smile on her face!!"
• "Watching Melissa during movement and music in the classroom with the preschoolers.  She was a pro at "Tootie Tat!"  She blessed so many.     -Becca Scott
• "Scarves, scarves, scarves.  No matter where I go in the world, they always remind me of Melissa!"     -December
• "Melissa's infectious laughter and cheerful nature brought joy to everyone's lives."     -Tom and Helen Chycinski
• "Numerous camping trips with the family where all the spiders had to be killed in the bunks before Melissa could fall asleep and then always waking up to oldies on the camper's radio."       -Julie Kruse
• "Sitting behind Melissa on a road trip when she spit a 'lugie' out the window and it came back in and landed on my leg."     -Julie Kruse
• "Sibs weekend at Central Michigan University staying in her dorm room and ice skating on campus."     -Julie Kruse
• "Melissa doing my up-do for Freshman homecoming."     -Julie Kruse
• "Standing up as a bridesmaid in Melissa and Mark's Wedding."     -Julie Kruse
• "Having Melissa as my big sister!"     -Julie Kruse
• "Always noticed you guys from the seat I sat in church.  My first thought was how happy she seemed."     -Sharon Brown
• "Melissa working at the park (Orchard Beach State Park) - craft boards, tie-dye and just interacting with the campers.  Always happy and having fun!"
• "Melissa gave me red nails.  The only time in my life that I had nail polish."     -Jan
• "Melissa and Mark were always know as the Mr. and Mrs. when they worked at Orchard Beach State Park.  They were very nice to work with."     -Cheryl Swinehart
• "On my field trip to Major's Farm, Mrs. Fralic and all of us kids threw straw up in the air.  She was the best teacher."     -Owen Eisenlohr
• "I remember watching Melissa when she was very young, maybe 2 or 3.  She was always such a beautiful child with a beautiful smile.  I cherish the time she came to visit us in Georgia, the year of the Olympics.  We had such a great time shopping and I found out how indecisive she could be when looking for things for herself."     -Aunt Faye
• "I look back and it seems like yesterday Melissa and I were playing barbies up in her room.  We would play up there for hours, making my Aunt come check on us.  We would just giggle away.  My favorite memory of Melissa and I watching Full House on Friday nights.  Eating popcorn and talking away.  At that moment in time she wasn't just a cousin but a sister as well.  She is a beautiful soul.  I will cherish these memories until we meet to talk about them in Heaven one day." 
• "Melissa's smile, it was that smile on her face that told you who she was.  The trust.  The love.  The faith she shared with everyone she met.  Once very special lady."
• "Playing school in the garage and house.  We always had perfect students to practice on.  This certainly helped us in our career.  I will miss beginning the school year without her this year."     -Sara (Slonecki) Kersey
• "Camping at Jellystone Park and putting pickles on a hot dog.  Melissa thought that was the most gross thing ever and was floored when she learned that relish was really chopped up pickles."     -Joe Slonecki
• "Melissa, my sweet niece.  So very precious, kind, and loving.  You were born on my birthday and I always think of you that day.  I especially remember the beautiful memories I have of you when I babysat you.  Such a precious little baby.  So happy.  So very easy to care for.  Such a little joy.  You have truly blessed my life.  Thank you Melissa,"     -Aunt Joana
• "Simply smiling."     -Uncle Ken
• "I remember eating at the Blue Moon Cafe with Melissa, Emily, Rebecca, and Matilda.  Melissa loved to play with Matilda, so she picked up her potato chips and made a 'duck bill' and started talking to Matilda with it.  Matilda laughed and made her own and started talking back with her duck bill.  Soon all of us had duck bills and our conversation continued using potato chips.  A silly, but fun time."     -Amber Nasson
• "How much compassion Melissa had for our son as she taught him in school.  Melissa shared our joy and excitement as he progressed.  She called us every day after school to share with us about how he did that day.  We are so grateful for how she touched our family."     
• "Such a sweet, kind smile!"
• "'Mother Hen' Melissa.  She was as much help to me with the kids (or students, since they always played school in the garage) as could be!  What a loving heart."     -Denise Slonecki
• "Being at Aunt Von's for a family gathering - my beloved daughter, Jamie, and Melissa sitting in the big arm chair together - giggling as if they were still litttle - so sweet - the closeness they shared!  Such a wonderful mentor and friend for our precious Jamie!"     -Kathy Charette
• "The love she shared with all the knew her emulated Christ.  I will see you soon Melissa in Heaven with our loving savior."     -Beth Stenzel
• "Trying to dance (polka) with Melissa at her wedding.  I was 8 months pregnant and my coordination and grace lacking, to say the least, we had a good laugh over it."     -Rachel Laiman
• "Melissa's kind, gentle spirit!  Being a big sis as I grew up with Julie!  I'll never forget the daddy-daughter dance at Melissa and Mark's wedding.  And then the sisters joining in!  So much love.  Melissa's strength and perseverance were to be sought after.  What a blessing to have known Melissa."  -Liz and Dave Nyitray
• "Many smiles and laughs as she engaged her conversation with everyone that was in her presence.  She was always so thankful and it was obvious she love Jesus.  Thanks Melissa for being in my life."     -Donis Albus
• "Her beautiful dancing at the Ramsdell.  Her beautiful smile that lit up a room.  Her camping enjoyment."
• "The love that Melissa and Mark have for each other.  It was such a joy watching her in the bleachers as she cheered on her husband and his soccer team, as his former coach refereed the game!  He taught his teams more than playing a game on a field.  He taught them about LIFE because he and Melissa knew LIFE in Christ."     -Mrs. and Coach Sitz
• "The look in Melissa's eye of pure love in learning more about her Lord Jesus Christ.  Melissa wanted to know everything she could learn about Jesus and had a pure passion to do His will that is rarely seen.  We saw this at each and every small group we had with the Fralic's.  It was inspirational."     -Mike and Sondra Weinert
• "I am glad that I have had the blessing of being adopted by this wonderful family.  I have been so blessed by you all."     -Kathy
• "When the new bathrooms in Melissa's classroom were not yet ready - I told her 'that's okay, the kids will be wetting their pants anyway!'  Melissa yelled 'No one is allowed to wet their pants!'"     -Aunt Ka
• "Getting Melissa and Sarah's dorm room ready when they were Sophomores at CMU.  Happy times!"
• "Remembering giving Melissa rides to Preschool and what a sweet person she was and grew up to be."
• "Her 'Bubbly' smile and gentleness for the little ones."
• "Talking with Melissa about school.  We shared a love for children and a joy in reading to our students.  We also talked about health concerns.  I will miss her smile and those visits."     -Pat Schilling
• "Having the opportunity to watch her each day as she broke into song to line up the students.  I saw so many teachers struggle with this daily routine, yet she excelled with a smile on her face and even bigger smiles on the faces of the kids.  She will be missed."     -Mike Rawert
• "I remember how excited parents and students were to have Mrs. Fralic as their teacher!  Our entire community raved about what an amazing educator she was.  I strive to be that teacher, book lover, and Godly example that Melissa was in my classroom.  The D.W. staff and preschoolers will always remember the wonderful example that Melissa was!"     -Lindsey Rawert
• "Melissa bringing the most yummy dessert to work and when I asked what it was called she replied: "Better than Sex Cake" so surprised to hear that from her!  Love that girl!"     -Jeanne Nesbit
• "Mark and Melissa on the night of the prom.  They always cam to visit me first - so special!  I'm so thankful for the 4th of July picnic when I saw her for the last time and we said 'I love you'"     -Grandma Schimke
• "Melissa was sweet and kind and good.  She personified everything that was loving and compassionate.  She will be greatly missed."
• "When Eden was asked to be the flower girl in Mark and Melissa's wedding.  Her dress was hand made.  At the final dress fitting (alterations for Melissa and Eden) - Melissa stepped out and Eden gasped at Melissa in her beautiful Fairy Godmother Princess gown.  We then slipped Eden's dress on, over her head and placed her in front of a full length mirror next to Melissa.  When Eden was asked what she thought, she candidly responded that Melissa's gown had more 'sparkles.'  We explained that a flower girl should not 'outshine' the bride, but Melissa kindly asked her seamstress to add more beading and sequins to the flower girl dress.  Looking thru Mark and Melissa's wedding album yesterday, brought this precious memory back."     -Aunt Bonnie
• "Melissa's sweet smile and positive influence."     -Bruce and Colleen Miller