Melrose V. Shanks

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

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