Melissa Jayne Wright (Leman), 55, of Vancouver, Washington, passed away on Jan. 27, 2019, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Melissa was born Oct.
24, 1963 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to James Dennis Leman and Lois Jean Leman (Vroman). Her father’s career moved the family to Butte, Montana, where Melissa attended high school and Montana Tech. Later they moved to Michigan, and she graduated with honors at age 19 from Eastern Michigan University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Physics.
Then, she attended graduate school at the University of Michigan in Bioengineering. She started her career at General Motors Research Labs in Warren, Michigan. Melissa met Kevin Wright in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and they married on December 22, 1984.
They raised three children Natalie (James) Saoud (Wright), Christopher and Anna in Saline, Michigan. Shortly after they married, Kevin introduced Melissa to Applied Dynamics International (ADI) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he worked as a draftsman. Melissa joined the company in 1986 as an applications engineer, and over the following 33 years worked her way up the ranks of the company, earning the post of President, and later moved to the role of Chief Operating Officer, which she held until her diagnosis in the fall of 2018.
In 2012, Melissa, Kevin, Chris and Anna moved to Vancouver, Washington to be closer to Melissa’s parents, James and Lois, and her sisters, Pamela Armentrout and Patricia (Trish) Bump. Melissa loved exploring the Pacific Northwest throughout the last six years. She enjoyed getting outside through camping, kayaking and hiking and especially loved visiting the Oregon coast.
Melissa had a passion for gardening and cooking, and held a dear love for animals all her life. Growing up, she raised horses, goats and many other animals. Over the years, she cared for a number of family dogs including Tiki, Daisy, Coco, Lily and Lucy.
Most of all, Melissa loved her family, which was a of great pride and joy in her life. She will be dearly missed by Kevin, Natalie, James, Chris and Anna, and by her parents James and Lois and her sisters Pam and Trish and their families. She was very caring and will live on in the hearts of all she touched, both personal and professional families.
Melissa was preceded in death by her grandparents James and Lois Leman Sr. and Forrest (Frosty) and Wilma Vroman. She simply adored her grandpa Frosty. He was a real cowboy and taught her many horsemanship skills, and her childhood memories of him were priceless to her.
Melissa enjoyed recent reunions with her extended Leman family of Douglas, Wyoming. A Celebration of Melissa’s life will be held at Fox Hills Banquet Center in Plymouth, Michigan, Feb. 9, 2019 at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Melissa’s family asks that friends and family make donations in honor of Melissa Wright and Jim Leman to ParkinsonsRes.org.
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