The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Melissa Peery Laughlin, 46, of Lumberton, went to be with her Heavenly Father, Jan. 23, at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth, Beaumont. She was born on March 10, 1966, in Orange, to George Peery and Dot Cormier Peery.

Many things can be said about Melissa, but above all she was a loving and altruistic mother to her daughter Allison. Conversations with Melissa always included laughter and the love of her family and friends. She touched many lives with her smile, big heart, and her helping hands. She always did her best to live a life for her heavenly father by the motto “God is good… all the time.”

Melissa graduated from Bridge City High School and later obtained an associate’s degree in business. She worked at Loeb Mother’s Day Out as a four year old pre-school teacher. As a teacher she didn’t just teach, she was a motivator and poured her love and kindness into her work and truly brought the best out in anyone she had the privilege of knowing. She was very active in her church and served as a religious education teacher, participated in Vacation Bible School, and was a member of the ACTS team. Most currently she was a stay-at-home mother devoting her life to her precious daughter.

She is preceded in death by her brother, James Dale Peery; grandparents, Vernon and Olamph Peery and Renard and Bridget Menard; and brother-in-law, Doug Knippers.

Melissa is survived by her daughter, Allison Laughlin of Lumberton; parents, George and Dot Peery of Bridge City; brother, Gary Peery and his wife, Donna, of Bridge City; sister, Kelli Peery Lindsey and her husband, Chuck, of Beaumont; her nephew, Wesley Knippers and his wife, Lisa, of Temecula, Ca; nieces, Whitney Knippers of Beaumont, Courtney Polk and her husband, Blain, and Cydney Hill and her husband, Jack, both of Bridge City; great-nieces, Madisyn Guillory and Brinlee Lovelace, both of Bridge City; father of her daughter, Kevin Laughlin of Lumberton; and her many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A gathering of Melissa’s family and friends will be from 2:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., with a Rosary recited at 6:00 p.m., Monday, Jan. 28, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Dr., Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, at Infant Jesus Catholic Church, 243 South LHS Drive, Lumberton, with interment to follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Orange.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, or Infant Jesus Catholic Church, P.O. Box 8180, Lumberton, Texas 77657.