Melrose V. Shanks

Melrose Shanks Obituary Melrose Verna Shanks as beloved by all who knew her. She was loving and friendly to everyone she met and never shyed away from making new friends. Melrose died peacefully in her sleep at Hospice of the Western Reserve on April 22, 2024 after a brief illness. Melrose was the oldest and the youngest child in her family. As she would happily explain it “In the Smith family, I was the baby, the youngest of five and in the Jackson family, I was the oldest of nine children.” She would often tell her own children that she was so blessed to have a blended family that all loved and accepted each other. With a twinkle in her eye, she would tell us that she had 3 more sisters added to that equation. Melrose loved them all, and they all loved her. Melrose’s parents were deaf and she and her siblings were part of the Deaf community along with their parents. She met her future husband, Donald Everett Shanks when they were both adolescents, raised in the same neighborhood with the same friends and schoolmates. She attended Mayflower Elementary, Brownell Jr. High, Wilson Jr. High, and John Hay Sr. High School. Melrose and Donald would eventually begin to date and they married on February 7, 1955. To this union, they had four children, Donna, Karen, Stephanie and Donald Jr. Unfortunately, Donald Sr passed away at the young age of 38, and Melrose at 36, was left to raise the 4 children. She never remarried. Melrose instilled family values, faith and her love of God in her children. She always told them to look after each other because they would always have each other. Melrose worked many years as a RTA Bus Driver, and prior to that was a clerk at Northern Records. Her final job was as a Secretary at Lutheran Housing Corp. For most of her adult years she attended Euclid Beach Community Church where she sang in the choir, using her voice and also as a sign language soloist. Melrose’s hobbies included bowling, dancing and playing bingo. Her favorite hobby by far was watching the Cleveland Guardians, in person and on television. Preceding Melrose in death were Raymond & Beatrice Smith (Parents), Joseph Jackson, Sr. (Birth Father). Donald Sr (Spouse), Karen (Daughter) Desmond (Great-grandson), Jaidyn (Great-granddaughter). Theresa Frances (Sister), James, Robert, Richard, Lee, Curtis, and Joseph Jr. (Brothers) Melrose Leaves to Mourn her Passing: Daughters; Donna (Keith), Stephanie (Martin) Son: Donald Jr. (Nancy) Brothers: Ronald (Mary), Peter (Patricia) Sisters: Nancy, Florence, Natoma, Jackie, Tina, Tonya. Grandchildren: Denise, Dwayne, Darnell, Stephanie, Donald III , Yasmeen, Davenia, Danielle, Van,and Darnell. A host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, grand nieces, grand nephews and lifelong friends. Melrose will be missed by us all and it is the family’s wish that you all got to know her because she was quite the unique gift from God To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Melrose V. Shanks, please visit our floral store. Read More