Melissa Dawn Taylor, 37 of Urbana, Illinois was born on Friday,  April 15, 1988, in Flora, Illinois to Gary Dewayne Morris and Diana St. Paulo Hopping.  She departed this life on Monday, April 28th, 2025 at her residence in Urbana, Illinois.

Melissa worked for VNA Hospice as a CNA while she lived in Malden and she loved music and reading books, especially John Grisham and Stephen King.

Her survivors include parents; mother and stepfather, Diana Hopping and William Robinson of Urbana, IL; father and stepmother, Gary Morris and Joann of Malden; three daughters, Brooklyn Kemphues of Champaign, IL, Mya Berbaum of Monticello, IL, and Camryn Taylor of Malden; two brothers, Stephen Morris of Malden and David Valentine  of San Marcos, TX; two sisters, Amanda Frye of Rantoul, IL and Juanita Kesterson of Urbana, IL. She was loved by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her step-father, John Knudten; maternal grandfather Thomas Short; paternal grandfather D.W. Morris and paternal grandparents Steve and Jeannie Shoup.

Visitation will be held Friday May 9, 2025 at 12:00 P.M. followed by a funeral service at 1:00 P.M at Landess Funeral Home in Malden with Reverend Mark Thrasher officiating. Burial will be in Rosewood 1st Addition Cemetery in Malden.

Landess Funeral Home of Malden is in charge of the arrangements.