Melissa Wallace

Melissa Wallace of Champaign, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Aug 30, 2024 at Carle Hospital in Urbana, Illinois.

Melissa is preceded in death by her first husband, David Schmink.

Melissa is survived by her second husband, Robert Wallace, Jr., of Champaign, IL. In addition, she is survived by her two sisters, Susan John and Debby Clark. Melissa leaves behind five children: Jason (Samantha) Schmink, Alex Schmink, Jason (Wendy) Wallace, Andy (Emily) Wallace, and Ben Wallace. Her grandchildren brought her so much joy and she would want it known that Mae, Amiya, Ellery, and Ayden Schmink, along with Logan, Olivia, Cale, Harrison, Mikynlee, Lawson, Hudson, and Riley Wallace are her legacy and among her greatest accomplishments. She loved them so, so much.

Melissa had the good fortune of finding two loving partners during her lifetime. She married David Schmink on February 12, 1977 and was with him until his passing in 1995. Together, they raised two sons (Jason and Alex), mainly in Pawnee, IL, and Monticello, IL. On September 6, 2003, Melissa married Robert Wallace, Jr., of Champaign, IL, and helped build an extended loving and supportive family. You certainly never felt alone when you visited Melissa, though it often meant you needed pen and paper to keep up with family updates!

Melissa is survived by two nieces, Stacey Clark and Karen DeBree along with five grandnieces and grandnephews.

From her first marriage to David, Melissa leaves behind her brothers-in-law: Mark (Nanette), Rick (Jane), Rob, and Keith (Diane), along with eight nieces and nephews and numerous grandnieces and grandnephews.

From her second marriage to Bobby, Melissa leaves behind her siblings-in-law: Terry (Heidi) Wallace, Julie (Rob) VanAntwerp, and Jill (Mike) Krueger, along with eight nieces and nephews and numerous grandnieces and grandnephews.

Professionally, Melissa was a CPA. She enjoyed preparing taxes for individuals and small businesses throughout her career, working mainly for small firms in Springfield, IL, and later in Champaign, IL. She truly enjoyed the detail-oriented work and relished the long work days of “tax season,” though April 16th was always marked on the calendar!

In her free time, Melissa enjoyed supporting her loved ones: concerts, baseball games, recitals, plays, soccer matches, football games, volleyball games, marching band shows, and more football games filled her schedule for years. Melissa was also a voracious reader: you would rarely see her without a book, and later an e-book in her hands.

In her life told through water, Melissa dipped her toes in the beaches of the Jersey Shore along the Boardwalk. She waded into the chilly waters of the Pacific just outside of San Francisco. Melissa adventured the whitewater rapids of the Colorado River. She basked in the sun of tropical beaches in Hawai’i and St. Thomas. Melissa made many trips, of course, to the inviting waves of Puerto Vallarta. In all cases, she was surrounded by family. Surrounded by those who loved her. Surrounded by those who have been touched by her and that will remember her fondly. Thank you, Mom! Thank you, Grandma! Thank you, Melissa! Thank you, Lis! We will meet you on the warm, sandy shores of the next beach.

You gave us so much.

Melissa Barbara Young Schmink Wallace

June 23, 1951–Aug 29, 2024

There will be no services at this time but a celebration of life will be announced shortly, date and location TBD.

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