Melissa Kay Kemp Coughlan

“He leadeth me beside the still waters.” – Book of Psalms

Obituary of Melissa Kay Kemp Coughlan

     On April 4th, 2016 overlooking the waters of Lake Norman our cherished Melissa passed peacefully with family by her side.

     Melissa was a person who lived her life with passion for the people she loved and a steadfast determination about the things she chose to do. Her love of learning began very early when after her first day of kindergarten she arrived home upset that she had not learned to read. Her life was committed to constant learning and she earned a Bachelors of Elementary Education K-3 and a Masters of Middle Grades Education/Elementary Education K-6, both from Appalachian State University.

     Her learning turned to teaching others as she began her career at Mount Rogers School in Whitetop, VA. There she taught various grade levels in a combination classroom, sometimes even teaching up to 3 grade levels in one room during a school year. After working for one school year at Northwest Ashe in 7th and 8th grade, Melissa transferred to Blue Ridge Elementary School to teach kindergarten.  There her true calling in teaching blossomed.  She taught young children in grades K-2nd at Blue Ridge, West Jefferson Elementary and Westwood Elementary for a combined number of seventeen and a half years. During this time she also earned National Board Teacher Certification in 1998 and worked for the North Carolina Teacher Academy as a trainer for 8 years.  Melissa made such impacts in the lives of young students that she was titled as Ashe County Teacher of the Year in the 2001-2002 and 2006-2007 school years. She always stayed on top of current research about the brain and was an avid seeker of new developments in technology that could help students learn. Her life-long contributions to education continued as she moved into a position with the NC Department of Public Instruction as a regional literacy specialist, working with her team on projects into her final weeks of life.

     Although teaching was Melissa’s passion, her family was her complete heart. She was her Grand Daddy Vaughn’s baby girl and she loved to cook for her family just like her Memaw Clyde did. Her lessons for us about family were to spend time together, be honest and to say, “I love you”, every possible chance. She and her husband Dave loved to host family gatherings in Ashe especially at Easter with large dinners and egg hunts that included prizes for all ages. Their home was filled with warmth, laughter, hugs, and the sunflowers that made her so happy. To those that love her she will be our eternal flower of the sun shining over us. We were blessed to be gathered with her and Dave in her final days as they hosted family and close friends at Lake Norman.

     Melissa is survived by her loving, devoted husband David Coughlan of Denver, NC; her sister and best friend Susan Kemp Burcham, brother-in-law Jeff Burcham and niece Macie Kay Burcham of Greensboro, NC; her only son William “Greyson” Ashley of Ashe County, NC; and one granddaughter Jovie Clementine Ashley-Wolfe of Black Mountain, NC. In addition several extended family members share in the grief of the loss of Melissa as do many friends, communities of teachers and church members at Clifton United Methodist Church.

 There will be two services to remember and honor Melissa.

     On Friday April 8th, 2016 at the Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC the family will receive visitors from 3-4pm and a funeral service will begin at 4pm.

     On Saturday April 9th, 2016 at Jefferson United Methodist Church in Ashe County, NC the family will receive visitors from 1-2pm and a memorial service will begin at 2:30pm.

     Dave and Melissa are avid supporters of “The V Foundation for Cancer Research” started by NC State Coach Jim Valvano to support those fighting cancer. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in the memory of Melissa Kemp Coughlan to this foundation at http://www.jimmyv.org/.