Melodie Anne Blakemore  1946-2023

Melodie Anne Blakemore of Mineola passed away on Tuesday, Dec, 19, 2023 at age 76 in Tyler, surrounded by loving family. 

Melodie was born on Dec. 20, 1946 as Melodie Anne Hainey in Crockett. She was born to parents Frank and Eva Hainey and raised by her mother and stepfather Andy Anderson in Houston. 

Melodie graduated from Spring Woods high school in Houston and married Tom Dodd. Together they had two beautiful children, Melissa and Bo Dodd.  

On Dec. 19, 1981, Melodie married Bill Blakemore and together they raised Melissa and Bo in Plano. She passed away on their 42nd wedding anniversary. 

Melodie took great pride in her career having worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone in Houston and Southwestern Bell Mobile systems in Dallas for over 25 years. Together, she and Bill built a strong bond with so many friends in the Southwestern Bell family. 

Melodie accepted Jesus Christ as her savior in 1988 and was baptized at Northrich Baptist Church in Richardson. She and Bill served at Northrich for over 20 years and were a blessing to many. 

Among her many talents, Melodie loved cooking. Especially her favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe known and loved by all. She also loved poinsettias and decorating for Christmas and many other holidays. Her entrepreneurial spirit brought her great joy over the years selling Mary Kay Cosmetics and Premier Jewelry. Melodie organized the annual Higginbotham Reunion in Crockett for many years. She was also a vital part of making the annual Blakemore Reunion a great success for over 40 years. 

She loved her family above all else. She took great pride in bringing family together at her Aunt Reva’s place in Kosse, where the entire family converged every year for Easter. She will always be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, friend and a child of God. She always sacrificed her own needs over those of her family. 

Melodie was a huge athletic supporter for Bill as they traveled all over the world playing softball for over 40 years. Together, they built lifelong friendships and had opportunities to spread the word of God through a softball ministry in Africa and in the states. Melodie was Bill’s greatest fan. 

Melodie will always be remembered as a true friend by all who knew her, with her kind heart, genuine smile, open arms, patience and beautiful grin. She had a great sense of humor and loved playing games, family vacations and anything involving her children. 

Never once in her life did she not appreciate the moments life has given her, and her arms were always open for comforting hugs for those going through hard times. Her greatest gifts to all who knew her will be the love and openness for the joy she generously shared, her strength and resilience, and her unwavering ability to always choose to appreciate the good and wonder of the world, even in the darkest of times. She was courageous, gentle, funny, spirited, bold, fearless and more than anything, immensely loving. Even through her long battle with breast cancer and dementia. She remained faithful and trusted her family to care for her until the day God took her home. 

She was preceded in death by her father, Frank Hainey; mother, Eva Anderson; stepfather, Andy Anderson; brothers, Bruce and David Anderson; Reva (Aunt Biggon) Hearon; and countless aunts, uncles and cousins.  

She is survived by her husband, Bill Blakemore of Mineola; sister, Cindy Safar and her husband Jim of Gretna, La.; her brother, Ricky Anderson of Houston; daughter, Melissa Avant and her husband Michael of Simpsonville, S.C.; son, Bo Dodd and his wife Candice of Salado; stepdaughter, Beverly Spike and her husband Don of Mineola; and stepson, Brad Blakemore and his wife Tammy of Mineola. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Tate, Haley and Emma Avant, Justin and Ryan Spike, Clay and Cole Blakemore, Julia McCarley, Marigrace Peters and Dori Dodd, and three beautiful great-grandchildren, Will Blakemore, Ezra Spike and Clark Buddenberg. 

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects during a visitation at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Melodie’s tribute and funeral service will be held at noon on Thursday, Dec. 28 at the same location. 

Flowers are certainly welcome, and Melodie loved beautiful flowers. You may also make a donation in Melodie’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association.