Obituary
Melissa Grey Gist was born on August 23, 1961, in Crescent City, California,
and passed away on January 19, 2026, in San Francisco, California.
She graduated from Del Norte High School in 1979 and from College
of the Redwoods in 1986. In 1987, Melissa married the love of her life, Wade
Gist, in Reno, Nevada. They welcomed their daughter Haley later that year,
followed by their daughter Kaitlin in 1991. Melissa loved her family with
everything she had, giving selflessly and without reserve. She shared an
especially close and loving bond with her daughters—a connection built on
devotion, warmth, and unbreakable love.
Melissa was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister,
friend, school nurse, colleague, and coach. She loved the Lord with all her
heart, attended Foursquare Church, and served as a Sunday school teacher for
many years.
Melissa worked for the Del Norte Unified School District for over
20 years as a health aide. She deeply enjoyed working with children and is
still fondly remembered by many as the “lice lady.” She later worked as a
receptionist at Dr. Ward’s dental office before retiring early.
She is survived by her loving husband, Wade; daughters Haley Luis
(Joseph) and Kaitlin Olvera (Carlos); grandchildren Cameron and Carson Luis and
Elena Olvera; her mother, Sarah Anne “Sally” Baker; sisters Jennifer Wakefield
(Robert) and Debra Heady (Bob); brother Mark Baker (Sonja); nieces Tara
McClaflin (Barrett), Stephanie Kucek (Josh), Sarah Branton, and Jennifer Allen;
nephews Norman Wakefield (Jessica), Troy Wakefield (Silvia), James Allen
(Kaytlyn), Braden and Bowie Baker, and Michael Gist (Amalia); along with many
great-nieces and great-nephews whom she loved dearly.
She was preceded
in death by her father, Norman Baker; her
father-in-law, Harold Gist; and her mother-in-law, Lee Gist.
Melissa showed incredible strength throughout her multiple
hospital stays at Asante, OHSU, Sutter, and UCSF, with Wade faithfully by her
side every day for 54 days. She faced a short but courageous journey with a
rare and aggressive cancer—undiagnosed until just days before her
passing—meeting it with strength, grace, and faith.