Melinda Hahs

Melinda Jo Hahs, 37, of Pocohantas, ended her courageous struggle with cancer Sept. 6, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Melinda (Mendy) was born at Southeast Missouri Hospital Jan. 20, 1972, in Cape Girardeau. She grew up in Charleston, Mo., graduated from Charleston High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University.

Mendy worked at Southeast Missouri Hospital and for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences for 19 years. She loved her work as enrollment manager and administrative assistant with the college and always knew each and every student by name.

Through her long illness, Mendy was a source of inspiration and strength to all who knew her. Her special gift to others was her ability to add humor and wit to the most mundane situations. She lifted spirits and brought joy to others even while going through the trials of her illness. That same spirit and joy remains to live on in the lives of those who knew and loved her. She was baptized into the Disciples of Christ faith and was a woman of unwavering belief, a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.

Mendy and Mark Hahs were married May 2, 1992. Survivors include her husband, Mark; a son, Matthew; a daughter, Macey; her father, Pete (Sandy) Dodgen of East Prairie, Mo.; her mother, Marylene (Ted) Elliott of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Molly (Lucian) Zielinski and Saylor, Zachary and Candless of Cape Girardeau; a brother, John Dodgen and Doug Miller of St. Charles, Mo.; loving friends and relatives.

She was preceded in death by an infant daughter and maternal grandparents, Edith and Bill Barker of Charleston, and paternal grandparents, Wesley and Beatrice Dodgen of Wyatt, Mo.

Mendy's family extends sincere gratitude to the doctors and staff of Southeast Missouri Hospital with special thanks to Dr. Terry Cleaver, Kristi Skinner, Dr. Roberto Martinez, Dr. Paul Tolentino, Dr. Joseph Miller and the hospital's oncology nurses and staff. They provided outstanding, compassionate care and support in so many ways.

Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

The funeral is at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Martin Lucas of East Prairie officiating. Burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

Memorials may be made to the Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences or to Mendy's immediate family.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.