Melissa L Peterson

Melissa Lynn Peterson, 35, of Great Falls, passed away Friday, November 13, 2015. A memorial service will be held Friday, November 20th at 10:00 am at First Alliance Church, 908 47th Street S. O’Connor Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Melissa was born April 24, 1980 in Santa Clara, California. She grew up in San Jose and Modesto, California and graduated from Endeavor High School in Ceres, California in 1997. Melissa originally planned to attend Modesto Junior College after high school, but instead chose to become a homemaker and loving mother. It was in Modesto where she gave birth to her daughter, Kendra, and her son, Tyler. Melissa later moved to the Oregon area in 2005 and this is where she gave birth to her daughter, Maliyah. In 2008, Melissa moved to Great Falls to be close to her father, John Peterson, and step-mother, Dianne Peterson. In Great Falls she made many very close friends including Jon Brewer, Barb Nygaard, and Deb Diedrich, to name just a few. Melissa enjoyed good food, movies, and spending time with family and close friends. She loved her children, family, and friends and these special people were her whole world. Melissa is survived by daughters Kendra and Maliyah; son Tyler; father John Peterson and step-mother Dianne Peterson; brothers David Peterson and Casey Peterson; sisters Amy Peterson and Sarah Cowart; sister-in-law Brittany Peterson; grandparents John and Nancy Peterson; and uncles Glen and Mark Peterson. She was preceded in death by her mother, Jennifer Lynn Thompson Peterson.