COX, Melissa (Smith), November 16, 2023 at the age of 45 years. Mother of Cassandra, Owen and Jacob Smith.  Grandmother of Chase Crawford.  Daughter of Jeanne Hart and the late Alfred Smith Jr. granddaughter of the late Alfred K. Smith Sr.,  Teresa C. Battoni, Claire and Norton Hart Sister of Patricia Strickland.  Aunt of Charles Jr., Damien, Brittany and Christine.  Great aunt of 8 nieces and nephews.  Friends may call Friday from 10am-1PM and 4-8 PM at the Wentland Funeral Home 10634 Main St. (Rt. 62) North Collins, NY.  A Mass of Christian burial will be offered Saturday at 10:30 AM from Holy Spirit Church. North Collins, NY.  Please assemble at church.  Melissa attended Pine Valley Central School from Kindergarten through graduation in 1997.  Through her school years she attended Girl Scouts, ran track and worked two summers at Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio.  She also was a volunteer in a state operated group home.   After graduating she was employed at People Inc. and Fiddler's Green Manor in Springville, NY.  In November of 2003 she began working for the state of New York at what is now known as OPWDD.  Giving her 4 days short of 20 years of service at the time of her death.  During her adult years Melissa was a Girl Scout leader, was cheer coach for the Pine Valley Midgets and actively participated in all the sports her children played in. Melissa joined the Leon Fire Dept.  went through fire fighter training, EMT and was fire chief for a short time.  Melissa loved camping, kayaking, 4 wheeling, snowmobiling and of course loved her motorcycle and riding.  She also loved curling up and reading a good book and passed her love for this on to her children.  Music was a special love of Melissa's which she also passed on to her children.  She was a member of Lake Effect Harmony Chorus out of Boston, NY for a time.  Music accompanied everything she did and had a beautiful voice.  It was quite the thing to hear her and her kids sing in the car with the radio blasting on some country station.  She loved concerts at the fairs, Darien Lake and yearly Taste of Country concerts.  Melissa was a fun loving girl with a beautiful smile and a wonderful laugh that came from deep within.  When she laughed everyone around her did.  She loved to party with her family and friends.  She loved planning parties for her family and friends.  They always included music, games good food and if possible a bon fire.  She was a great cook and no one ever went home hungry or with out a take home plate if they wanted.  Melissa especially loved gatherings for the Bills games.  She cheered, laughed and screamed at the top of her lungs for all the great plays.  She shrieked advice for the not so good plays while watching them on tv.  Just as she did while watching at the stadium!  She was just plain fun to be around and watching the Bills games will never be the same!  Melissa put her whole heart and soul into everything she did.  She had a great love for her children and was a mama bear when fighting to get their proper schooling and medical help.  Through all the trials and tribulations of her life she never failed to stand up for them.  We as a family will be at a loss to fill her shoes.  Our hearts are broken and we are overwhelmed with the sadness of her death.  In lieu of flowers please consider a perpetual mass card.  These can be acquired from any of the following.  Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  400 Michigan Ave. N.E.  Washington, D.C. 1-800-526-8300.  Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica.  767 Ridge Rd. Buffalo, NY 1-716-828-9444.  St. Ann's Monestery 1233 St. Ann St. Scranton, PA 18504 1-570-347-5691 Our Lady of Fatima Shrine  1023 Swan Rd. Youngstown, NY 14174. 1-716-754-7488