Melinda's Journey Video

This video was also assembled by her friend Pam with Melinda's input and was featured at an evening meeting at her church. They played this video as an introduction to what many present there already knew, then they spent the evening telling her story on the stage in front of the church in big comfy chairs. She wanted to encourage the women present to get screened regularly for this disease, and was willing to bare her soul to get that message out.

Melinda's Memorial Video

Melinda's husband (and my brother) Mark, along with help from Melinda's family, helped pick the pictures and I helped scan in the prints. Friends from his church, Pam and Adrian, came over the day before the funeral and put the slides to music. It was a perfect song. Melinda's legacy lives on in the hearts of the family and friends that she touched, in the man that she loved, and especially in the children that she brought into this world and loved so fiercely. It played on big screens at the front of the church during her funeral. It was a beautiful moment, have her big smile shine down on us there. Making it simultaneously made me very happy to see her smile, and hurt my heart that all I had were these pictures and my memories of her. -Jason Evans

In Memoriam

This is the end of what has been a long week. Our sister-in-law, Melinda, lost her battle with breast cancer last Friday. She'd been sick in the hospital following a routine reconstructive surgery, showing many of the signs of liver failure. After her death, we found out that it was recurrent cancer that had attacked her liver. The rest of her body could not keep up. We started making flight arrangements when we heard that she had gone from sick but stable, to critically ill. We did not make it there before she passed, but we all got on a plane anyway to be with our family.
Melinda was a wonderful mother to her 3 young kids, an amazing wife to my brother, a loving aunt to our kids, and a caring sister to us. We came to Oklahoma City to honor her and to be with our family - especially my brother and his children. Her beautiful service on Wednesday was led by their church's preacher and we laid her poor body to rest on a lovely hill by a lake. Wind chimes rang in a nearby tree and there were lots of flowers perfuming the air on this warm, yet breezy day. She would've thought it was beautiful. She would not want us to hurt for long. We took the kids to a family fun center/pizza place last night and blew off a lot of steam from all of the preparations that led up to her service.
The rest of our lives begins now. The news we got last night - that it was recurrent cancer that destroyed her liver - felt like this horrible monster that came around the corner to snatch her, just when we thought she had licked it. While this is very upsetting news, it also provides a bit of closure, and with it hopefully, a bit of peace.
Melinda didn't cause this in choosing the surgeries that she did, decisions she and the family made when she was hospitalized didn't cause this, and the doctors treating her these past few weeks didn't make a mistake that caused this - rather they kept her with us for 3 more weeks with their heroic efforts. Time to see her kids, hug her family and friends - for us, one last phone call. We just didn't know at the time that we were saying goodbye.
I told my mom after we heard the news that she is the last one this monster gets to take. To honor my children's Aunt Melinda, my Aunt Carolyn, and my grandmother Reba - we have to find a cure. Please join me in your hearts today in this mission. Tell your friends and family to get checked regularly for this disease. Raise money for research to find a cure. Tell those that ask about your efforts about this 31 year old wonderful woman that got too short of a life here, and that you don't want that to happen to anyone else if it is in your hands to eliminate this monster from this planet.
Her obituary is beautiful and is online here and reprinted below. The blog that updated us about her health, and now will update us on things we can do for the family and to fight this disease is here.
We want to thank Becky's parents for driving up from Austin to help us with the kids, the staff at my office for taking care of my patients when I suddenly had to leave, the friends who've offered us support back home, and the kids' school for understanding why they couldn't be there for their first week. We're coming back to our lives soon, but our lives have been forever changed. -Jason & Becky Evans

Melinda's Obituary

Melinda Marie Evans was called to heaven on Friday, August 17, 2007. Melinda was born on November 23, 1975 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma as daughter to Henry and Julia Watters and twin sister to Michael. She graduated from Bartlesville High School in 1994 and from the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing in 1998. On July 26, 1997 Melinda married her high school sweetheart, Mark Evans. The couple resided in Oklahoma City while maintaining an active presence in their church, Alameda Church of Christ in Norman. Melinda was a devoted wife, beloved daughter, cherished sister, and faithful friend, but above all, Melinda's highest calling was to mother her three precious children: Marli, Marcus, and Manning. Melinda was a strong Christian woman who was an example and an inspiration to all by leaning on Christ through every joy and trouble.

Melinda was diagnosed with breast cancer in April of 2006, which began her journey of surgery, treatment, and recovery. She maintained a zest for life, even through her treatment. During times of low energy, her most common question to friends and family was, "so, what am I missing?" and she used every available moment to spend time with her kids. Despite her situation, Melinda never let her own health problems keep her from comforting others in their own time of need. She genuinely cared for every person with whom she came in contact and served as a prayer warrior for countless friends and acquaintances.

Melinda was also known for her competitive streak, especially on the soccer field. She shared this activity with her brother, husband and many friends throughout the years and was in the process of encouraging her children to love soccer as much as she did. Melinda enjoyed every minute on the field, whether it was scoring a goal in her adult league games or coaching her children's YMCA teams.

Melinda was a wonderful mother and a blessing to all who knew her. Her legacy will live on through her children, and her Christian example will linger in the hearts of her family and friends.

Melinda was preceded in death by her grandparents, Anthony and Pauline Bauer and Henry and Vivian Watters. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 22, at Alameda Church of Christ in Norman. In lieu of flowers, friends are contributing to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Freeway., Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244 or www.komen.org. Havenbrook Funeral Home, 405-329-0101.

Send condolences online at http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/Obituaries.htm