Melnevia Hermene Whaley

Melnevia Hermene Whaley

Graveside services celebrating the life of Melnevia Hermene Whaley, the daughter of the late Herman Whaley and Melvinia Reese Whaley, former local residents will be held in the Trousdale Cemetery on Saturday morning at eleven a.m.

At the time of her passing, she  was a member of  the Christian Tabernacle Church. Educated in the Oak Park School District, Mel attended Michigan State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Marketing and an Executive Master of Business Administration.

Her intelligence and drive garnered her lucrative positions as manager and director in some of the top organizations in the country including but not limited to Eli Lily and Company, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Allergan, Primitiv Group, and Surgical Account Executive of  Johnson and Johnson Vision.  She volunteered for numerous dance companies, the Black Santa Project, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the National Sales Network, Friends of African & African American Art at the DIA.

Her love of travel, inspired by family excursions with her family at a very young age, grew into a passion after her experiences on a mission trip to India.  Her love of travel carried her to exciting locations around the world.  Dancing was also a passion of Mel's which began at the early age of six.

Mel's  life was one of class, grace, beauty, humor, and style.  She left a legacy of love that touched so many.  Cherishing memories of her beautiful spirit and her love of life are: her sister, Monique Whaley, Atlanta, GA, her godmother, Deloris Hunt, Farmington Hills, MI, four aunts: Willie Whaley, Linda Jones (Lewis), Wanda Reese-Davis (Korea),  all of Bastrop, LA, and Veronica Reese, Atlanta, GA, five uncles: Levi Whaley (Jestener), Westland, MI, Harry Whaley, Bastrop, LA; Henry Reese, Jr., Manzie Reese, Sr. (Deborah), and Gabe Reese of Mer Rouge, LA,;  Jeremy Orr;  her love, godmothers: Marilyn Horne and Marlene Amerine; three god uncles: Lee Smith, Charles Hunt, and Will Redd Hunt;  one god brother, Michael Hunter, three god sons: Caleb, Calvin, and Carter; their parents and best friends, Calvin and Brittney Johnson; her special mentor, Megan Davis, her Alpha Kappa Alpha sisters, cousins, friends, and co-workers.

"Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not built to fit a fashion model's size.

But when I start to tell them they think I'm telling lies.

I say, it's in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips.

The stride of my steps, the curl of my lips. I'm a woman. Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman!  That's ME!"

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Melnevia Hermene Whaley, please visit our floral store.