Melissa Wood, of Battle Ground, died July 16, 2021, after a courageous battle against cancer. She was 66.
Melissa was known for her generosity of spirit, sense of humor, work ethic and devotion to her dogs.
She loved growing flowers and always enjoyed a good plant sale, filling her flower beds with blooms. She was skilled at baking — it wasn’t a party until Melissa arrived with an amazing dessert she’d created from scratch.
She was born in San Francisco, California, and lived there until she was 9, when the family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. She was a graduate of Star of the Sea High School and attended the University of Hawaii, Hilo and Honolulu Community College, graduating with an associate degree in applied arts.
She was a dog lover from an early age, taking the family pets through obedience classes. Later she became involved in the world of show dogs, beginning with Great Danes then switching to sleek and speedy sighthounds. She had show whippets and also several retired racing greyhounds rescued from the Multnomah Greyhound Park. She showed her various canine companions in conformation and obedience and enjoyed taking her whippets lure coursing.
She held a variety of jobs over the years, ranging from operating her own dog grooming salon in Medford, Oregon, to working in food service, including a stint as seafood manager at the Battle Ground Safeway. Before her retirement last year, she worked in the kitchen fiat Brookfield Health and Rehabilitation.
Melissa was preceded in death by her parents, Hal Wood and Cleo Wood, and half-sister Sharon Lindsay. She is survived by two sisters, Romana Wood, of Washougal, Washington, and Laura Horton of Santa Rosa, fiCalifornia; five nieces and nephews and her beloved dogs Harry and Neska.
She also leaves behind a wide circle of friends and extended family in Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii.
