Funeral services for Melodie Fitzwater Jeansonne will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 20, 2026, in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers, Pineville, with Reverend Jerry Crise officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Brad Jeansonne, Christopher Jeansonne, Eric Jeansonne, Scott Jeansonne, Randy Jeansonne, and Austen Fitzwater. Honorary pallbearer will be Matt Davis.
The family requests that visitation be held on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Hixson Brothers, Pineville, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Mrs. Jeansonne, 58, passed from this life on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital.
During her working life, she was a Registered Nurse. The many joys in her life included her grandchildren, dogs, movies, football (especially the Pittsburgh Steelers), and Rock and Roll.
How do you see the spark of life? Take one look at Melodie, and you know you have seen it. She came into the world in Okinawa, Japan, on March 14, 1968. Born with a heart murmur, she knew from the youngest age that life would not be easy and that she would face challenges, and she was not afraid. That fearlessness would be her armor against whatever she would face. Her family and friends knew this well and often saw it whether they wanted to or not. Telling them to put their big girl/boy pants on and take on what was happening like she did every day. She never wanted the easy life, and she was not afraid. If you were her friend, she would defend you against any and all who would judge you, and she was not afraid. When choosing her path in the medical field, she first chose emergency medicine and later heart medicine. Not because it was easy. She chose it because it was challenging and she was not afraid. When she was diagnosed with Lupus and was told that having a child was not advised, she faced it because it was what she wanted, and she was unafraid. Extended exposure to sunlight is not the best place for someone with Lupus. Melodie chose the beach for vacations with her family because she was unafraid.
When she faced her final challenge, the one she could not beat, she told her husband and her daughter that she would be OK because she did not want them to be afraid. Melodie Fitzwater Jeansone took the world as she wanted it. Faced its challenges, took its obstacles, bent its will to her own because of her fierce loyalty, devotion to her family and her friends, with the spark of life because she was not afraid.
Mrs. Jeansonne was preceded in death by her parents, Donque W. and Ellen June Fitzwater.
She is survived by her husband, Brian Jeansonne; daughters, Madelyn French (Michael), Amanda Jeansonne; sons, Christopher Jeansonne (Carol), Brad Jeansonne; brother, Mark Fitzwater (Karen); seven grandchildren; and a host of other family members and friends.
Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.