Melody Pierson (Madden) of Nixa Mo. passed away Thursday, January 1st, 2026, at Hopedale Cottage in Ozark, Mo.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 15 years, Air Force Veteran Douglas Winslow Pierson, her parents Charles F. and Trudy Madden, and her beloved Tibetan terrier, Bohdi.

She is survived by her daughter, Elicia Nye of Englewood, Co., her step children, Julia and Joshua Pierson,  Julia's children, Owen and Henry Lungren, her brother Mirth Madden and his wife, Judy, of Manly, Iowa, her brother Michael Madden, his wife Pamela Combs, and their son Riley Madden, of Nixa Mo., her brother Mark Madden of St. Louis, Mo., her brother Matthew Madden, his wife Julie, their two daughters Briana and Kailey, of Centennial Co., and Matthew's daughter Nichole Madden, of St. Louis, Mo

Melody was born August 3rd, 1951, in Columbia Mo., and graduated from Webster Groves High School in 1969.  She earned a Master of Arts degree in Education, with certifications in Elementary, Middle School, and High School education, including English for speakers of other languages (TESOL), High School literature for speakers of other languages (ESL), and preschool instruction for speakers of other languages.  She taught behaviorally disordered students at a private school for several years before moving to Tohatchi, New Mexico, where she lived and worked on a Navajo Indian reservation.  On the reservation at Tohatchi Elementary, she served as the 3rd through 5th grade Special Ed inclusion teacher and was the technology coordinator.  She was trained and certified in Crisis Intervention and served as a student support specialist working with staff and parents to help students succeed in school.   It was during this time that she received the district's "Teacher of the Year" award.

On January 15th, 1994, Melody married the love of her life, soul mate, and "the kindest man I have ever known", Airforce veteran and school counselor, Douglas Pierson.   Sadly, Doug lost his battle with lung cancer and passed away on October 8th, 2009, while he and Melody were living and working on the reservation in New Mexico.

Melody stated that one of the happiest moments of her life was the birth of her "wonderful, talented, brilliant and creative" child, Elicia Nye, in October of 1976.  She also stated that her marriage to Doug made her life happy as he accepted her with all her "quirks" and supported her in learning to do things she had never tried before like Taichi, archery, and fly fishing.

Melody loved all the dogs her family had while she was growing up, but also all the dogs she's owned over the years, like Ralph the Basset hound, Doug's dog Max who kept her company on long walks during Doug's illness, Skippy the stray, who ran into her classroom after being thrown from a car on a nearby highway,  Einstein the Lhasa, "cause we saved each other after Doug's death", and finally, Bohdi, the Tibetan terrier,  who "is a goofy dog who makes me happy every day and was my constant companion during the Covid 19 pandemic, saving my life and sanity during these difficult times."

After her husband's death, Melody moved to Springfield, Mo. to help care for her aging parents.  She retired from Nixa Schools after five years teaching English as a Second Language there.   During this time, she and some other educators traveled to Haiti, bringing children's books and school supplies and helping to train new Haitian teachers as so many had been displaced by an earthquake that had devastated that country.

Melody will be remembered for her volunteer work at Rare Breed Drop in Shelter for homeless and at-risk youth, Ozarks Food Harvest, where volunteers and staff were like a supportive second family to her, and Crimson House Church.

Things Mellody enjoyed were music and dancing, watching rainbows, walking in the woods, unique rocks, flattened marbles that she glued to literally anything and everything, including but not limited to fences, decks and "anything else that needs to sparkle", Taichi, and reading mystery novels.

Melody did not have a bucket list because she said that she had done everything she wanted to do.  She's always taken advantage of opportunities to try new things.  She visited the Netherlands.  She heard the Dalai Lama speak in person, and she studied Taichi with the top five Taichi masters in the world.

Melody was a joyful, compassionate, and energetic individual who loved life and helping others.  She will be greatly missed by her family, and her many friends, neighbors, students, and caregivers.

No service is planned currently.  In lieu of flowers, contributions to Ozarks Food Harvest or the Alzheimer's Association would be appreciated