The light in our lives has passed on. Melissa Meyer Pilchard passed peacefully of natural causes with her family by her side. She lived life on her own terms to love and serve her family and community.

Born in New York City in 1936, she quickly took on the world growing up in Kansas, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. She graduated from West Springfield High School in Massachusetts.

She begrudgingly attended the University of West Virginia at her mother’s behest. It turned out to be the best decision she made and possibly the last advice she ever took. There she met the love of her life Charles “Chuck”’ Pilchard. She described seeing him from across the room and knew it was love at first sight. They dated, married, and transferred to the University of Maryland where they completed their college degrees. Melissa graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry.

After graduation they moved to Rockville, Maryland. Her political interests began there while volunteering for John Kennedy’s presidential campaign. She and Chuck moved to Massachusetts to be closer to Melissa’s family and to start one of their own. They purchased a magnificent early 20th Century home, which Melissa called her favorite. Melissa said she put in an order with God for two sons at the age of nine. She was granted her wish; Melissa gave birth to her first son, Edward, in 1963 and her second son, Benjamin, was born two-and-a-half years later. Melissa always spoke fondly of her time in Massachusetts.

The family moved to New Jersey, taking up residence there for five years. She taught high school and began her involvement in politics. In 1972, Melissa decided she wanted to move to a “hometown” where she could raise her children. Newtown, Connecticut was that town for thirty-two years.

To say Melissa was active in Newtown politics would be an understatement. We think she attended every political event and meeting during the time she resided in Newtown. She loved to socialize and politics became her social vehicle. “It was a time when politicians could get things done working together,” she always used to say. She loved Newtown and was a fierce proponent for the betterment of the town. She worked tirelessly on budgets, going over every line item and every last digit. We know because the kitchen table was her desk, piled with the budgets and papers. She was a member of the Newtown Democratic Town Committee for over 20 years. Melissa also served on the Town Council for 22 years. She was a Realtor for 25 years, president of the Newtown Board of Realtors, and was Realtor of the Year. Melissa and Chuck enjoyed an active social life with many friends, both political and social.

They retired to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, where they had a wonderful eighteen-year retirement. Melissa and Chuck were active and loved to travel overseas to Europe. Melissa became the first president of their neighborhood HOA and enjoyed several years of active participation on the HOA. She and Chuck also traveled to visit her sons in Florida and enjoyed cruises with them in the winter season. Chuck passed away in 2015 and Melissa moved to Florida shortly after his passing.

She loved her family and we loved her. She gave everything she had to everything she did. Melissa was recognized for many things in her life, but to us she was “Mom.” She was full of life, energy, and love to the very end. She will be dearly missed by us. We smile knowing she now is at peace and reunited with Chuck, all the dogs she loved, and the rest of her family and friends for an eternal life of never ending love, happiness, and of course socializing!