Melissa Christine Schmidt

Melissa “Schmidty” Schmidt, born June 14, 1994 in Glendale, California to Allan A. Schmidt and Teresa J. Gendle, passed away peacefully in her sleep among the pines in Twin Falls, Idaho on May 13, 2020 at the age of 25. She grew up in Costa Mesa, California, attended St. John the Baptist Catholic School, moved to Huntington Beach and attended Sowers Middle School, Edison High School and Golden West College. After her first year of college, she and her Mother moved to Chandler, Arizona where she attended Grand Canyon University while working at Game Stop. In 2014, the love of her life Chris Leva joined Melissa in Arizona and they lived in Phoenix, AZ while going to school. After GCU Melissa wanted to pursue the Taxidermy trade because of the combination of her great love of animals and science. She attended Arizona Taxidermy Training in Show Low, AZ in 2017, where she earned several certificates in Taxidermy for the various types of animals. Shortly afterwards she became a licensed Taxidermist in Boise, Idaho. This was her great passion! She started her own Taxidermy business, Natures Arcana Taxidermy in 2017. While living in Boise, Idaho she worked at various jobs while doing her Taxidermy and her last job was with Planet Fitness as a Member Service Representative. She loved her work with Planet Fitness and made some lasting friends. Melissa loved her home in Idaho; there was no other place she’d rather be. She was a fly fisher, active outdoors person, and loved exploring the nature in Idaho. Avatar the Last Airbender, Unsolved Mysteries, Supernatural, The Office and Ghost Adventures were just a few of her favorite shows and she also enjoyed playing Red Dead Redemption II as a gamer. She loved her cats Chookie and Big Boy. She is survived by her parents Allan Schmidt and Terri Gendle/Schmidt, her fiancé Christopher J. Leva, her maternal grandparents Matt and Jackie Azzara, 4 uncles, 2 aunts, numerous cousins, many, many friends, fur babies Chookie, Big Boy and Mason, and ferrets Shakespeare and Ghost. She is preceded in death by her paternal Grandfather Carl Folke Schmidt and paternal grandmother Karen Bruland Petersen Schmidt.

The service is available to view for up to 90 days following the date of the service.