In Memory of

Class of 1967
Dec 14, 1948 - Dec 15, 2020

Melissa Koester (Speck), 72, of Commerce Twp passed away Tuesday, December 15th following an almost four year battle with cancer. She was born on December 14, 1948 in Detroit, MI to the late John and the late Vivian (Marksian) Speck. She is survived by Stephen, her husband of 43 years, daughters Alexandra (William Lollis) and Brittany (Richard Howe), and grandchildren Callahan and Sullivan Lollis and Malone and Hayes Howe. She also leaves behind a sister, Susan Durand, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by an infant son, Zachary.

Melissa was a proud graduate of Cass Tech and went on to get degrees from Michigan State, Wayne State and the University of Michigan. She was a dedicated reference librarian for years before joining Livonia Public Schools as a school librarian until her retirement in 2007.

One of Melissa's proudest accomplishments was being a contestant on Jeopardy, where she won on her first day. She could often be found with a book (or several) and loved being a guest reader in her grandchildren's classrooms. She also enjoyed travelling, both with her family and with friends. An art history major, she visited museums all over the world and avidly tried to make her daughters appreciate fine art.

Melissa loved the water and found joy in floating and swimming with family and friends, whether it be the lake, a pool or the ocean.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/detroitnews/name/melissa-koester-obituary?id=7555101