Melody Lynn Lieux, passed away suddenly of natural causes on December 24, 2022. Per Melody’s wishes no services will be held.
Melody’s journey in life began when she was born in Nebraska on September 5, 1957. Life quickly led her as a young child and her family to California. And if you had asked her, she would say that life didn’t really start until she met the love of her life—Eric Lieux—at the age of 16 while at San Pascal Academy. Ever the romantic she could even tell you the anniversary of their first kiss, July 4, 1974.
Eric and Melody got married on August 21, 1977 and remained in love for 45 amazing years. They were wed just months after she received her RN degree at Loma Linda University, CA. Melody’s compassionate and nurturing character made nursing the perfect life fit for her. She started her career as a dialysis nurse and eventually became the Director of Plasmapheresis at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
When the family moved to Bismarck, North Dakota in 1990, she made a change in directions within her nursing field and started working as a home health nurse for St. Alexis Home. This change allowed her to dedicate more time to her husband and sons, since the family had decided to homeschool the boys. She became not only a wife, mother, and a nurse, she now also took on the role of full-time teacher and educator. She met this new challenge with the strength, grace and love, that came from her deep and close to connection to her Lord. She was a woman of deep convictions and faith that guided her through each step of her life.
In 2019 she made her final transfer to Great Plains Rehabilitation Services where she continued to use her compassionate nature for Mastectomy Care. She had found such love, support, peace and strength in her daily walk with the Lord that she felt the desire to share by serving others and helping them though the hard times in their lives. She always entered a room with a smile and left a lasting impression on those whose lives she touched.
Being Eric’s wife was Melody’s joy. Their love for each other is deep and abiding, it spans decades and many trials. They built a strong relationship on a firm foundation of a shared faith, that stood the test of time. Their love and solid relationship provided the stability and support to allow her to be the amazing woman she was, to give so freely to others. Their love and faith built an amazing family strong in faith and love, committed to the Lord and each other.
Melody was a hands-on mom, she was always there for her boys, with love and humor. Her big heart and bubbly personality thrived raising rambunctious boys. Through all the crazy adventures Darrell & Jarrod threw at her she met them with love, baked goods, and possibly a few more grey hairs.
Melody was born to be a grandmother. Her three granddaughters, Claire, Maëlle and Lillian, were the light of her life. She doted on them, looking forward to cooking and baking with and for them. She adored doing their hair, shopping with them or just curling up for a movie or a chat. There literally wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for them. She was made of warm cuddles and happy snuggles. Nothing in the world could ever replace her love.
It’s almost impossible to explain in words who she was in these short paragraphs, even several books wouldn’t be enough. She was also a loving daughter and sister. Happy to visit her family and care for them. She found joy in her daily phone calls with her mom and Jim. She delighted in being able to cook with her baby brothers and loved chatting on the phone with her nieces. She was always willing to listen to a friend or daughter-in-law in need with a loving heart. She was faithful to keep in touch with everyone in the family, she was what connected all the scattered pieces of our family across the US and Canada. Words fail to describe just how big a hole in our hearts and lives she leaves behind.
She is survived by her husband Eric Lieux, her eldest son Darrell Lieux, his wife Lissy, her youngest son Jarrod Lieux, his wife Kate, and their daughters Claire, Maëlle and Lillian.
She is also survived by her mother Alta McMurray and stepfather Jim McMurray, as well as her stepmother Gwen Peterson, and pre-deceased by her father Dolan Peterson.
Survived as well by her brothers Monty Peterson, Rodney Peterson and Chad Peterson and their respective families.
We look forward to seeing our wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend—our Melody—again in the Kingdom of God, where death will finally be conquered, and tears will be wiped away. It’s not goodbye, but “until we meet again” to the one we love.