Melanie Marie Dalton

Melanie Marie Dalton was born on November 9, 1946, in Colorado. She was the first and eldest of ten children. It certainly was a full house, and she had more than her fair share of experiences with kids and babies.

She was a smart student but found herself getting into a little more trouble than she bargained for and ended up leaving her Catholic all-girls school a little early. Luckily, her faith never wavered (a Mother Cabrini candle was always lit), and getting kicked out became the catalyst for making the best decision of her life. She fell in love with Ken Dalton Sr. in 1967. They quickly married, and before you could blink, she was expecting Kenny. In her stubborn nature, she declared she was absolutely done having babies by 30, so she and Kenny Sr. took the whole "family making" thing quite seriously, and Chris, Jason, Laury, and Sara followed quickly behind. Ken Sr. and Melanie shared an incredible 56-year love story, one of the best to ever exist.

Melanie was made to be a mother. She found great joy, and only slight frustration, in raising a full house with the love of her life, Ken. In 1981, Kenny Jr. met Kristine Ott, and Melanie quickly absorbed her into the family. Much to her delight, right up until the day she passed, she loved confusing people—especially doctors—by saying her son married her daughter and offering no further clarification. She deeply loved all of her kids, and she never hesitated to let them know how "dynamite" she thought they were.

Melanie found her true identity when she became a grandma. Her eldest granddaughter couldn't say "Grammie," and that's how "Ammy" came to be. She loved and embraced both her new name and her title as grandmother. She was always helping watch the kids, taking care of homes, and never said no when her family needed her. She was a favorite among the grandkids.

Ammy was even more than a person. She was a feeling, a deep, relaxing exhale. The comfort of walking into her home and knowing you could finally rest (as long as you got into your jammies on time so she could get the laundry done that same day). Her warm embrace was almost as tight as her hospital-corner tucked sheets. She found beauty in horses and butterflies and was always in awe of the world around her. You always knew that between her and Pop, the treat bin would be full of Special K bars or the hottest new candy bar and the Kool-aid would be iced. Everything was readily offered to any visitor.

She was a night owl, always sitting at her kitchen table with a word search and a mildly hot cup of black coffee with a dash of sweet & low. In fact, she may have drank three glasses of water her entire life. But if you were lucky enough to stay up with her, you knew you'd have a great conversation, and she'd be your biggest hype woman. She cheered loudly for her family through encouraging visits, phone calls, quick text check-ins, and Facebook comments filled with every emoji imaginable.

She was a daughter, wife, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was a small woman, but she never let that define her. Even the tiniest pebble creates a ripple, and the ripple of her legacy will live on through her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken Dalton Sr.—who we hope is already pinching her butt inappropriately in the kitchen and making her laugh again—her parents, Harry and Gloria White, and her son, Christopher.

She is survived by her children, Ken Dalton Jr. and Kristine Dalton; Laury Biesemeier and Kevin Biesemeier; Sara Dalton; and Jason Dalton. She also leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, all of whom are better because they were loved by their Ammy.

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