Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271323
Title: Melissa R. Desjarlais
Date: 11/11/1980-9/7/2024
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 11/11/1980
Summary: Melissa Rose Desjarlais passed away September 7, 2024, at her home. A funeral service was held September 13, 2024 at the Crow Hill Rec. Center, Fort Totten, ND. Burial was at the St. Jerome’s Cemetery, Fort Totten. Melissa Rose, daughter of Doris Desjarlais and late Manuel Littlewind Sr. was born on November 11, 1980, in Devils Lake, ND. Melissa grew up in Spirit Lake Nation, and worked various jobs at the SLC and SLT. She was always laughing and joking around and will always be remembered for her outgoing and caring personality. Melissa "Missy" was a devoted mother to her seven children whom she loved dearly. Missy loved to sew, make jewelry, always had many projects being worked on, and she also had plans to write an autobiography of her life. She played co-ed with Carmen Littlewind's team which consisted of Duane, Austin, Lionel, Jon Littlewind, Angie and Rena Little, Arlis, Avis, Joanna Littlewind, and Lindsey Littlewind. In her high school years, she excelled in all of her classes and was an honor student. Missy made lifelong friends with not only her classmates but her instructors and teachers as well. Missy and her high school sweetheart Rusty Hunt became young parents when they welcomed their first son, Isaac Hunt. She would bring him to school with her so that she could complete her work. By the time she graduated high school, their second son D'Angelo joined their little family. Melissa graduated with the class of 2000 with 28 classmates, at that time the biggest class of Four Winds High School and she was proud to be a part of that. After graduating Missy attended Cankdeska Cikana Community College and received her associate degree in 2004. She also attended Mayville State College taking up her business degree. During this time Rusty and Melissa expanded their family with the oldest girls Trina and Tayonna Hunt, and baby boy Izlee Hunt. Although Rusty and Melissa went their separate ways, Rusty helped raise Talisa and Jordan as his own. While pregnant with Jordan in 2012, she found out she had cervical cancer. At this time, she spent many doctor appointments in Fargo starting her treatment plan and in December of the same year, she had Jordan early due to the cancer. Missy was a cancer survivor and fought 12 years. Melissa's is survived by her mother, Doris Desjarlais; siblings, Jason Littlewind, Phyllis DuBois, Stacy Dubois Jr, Fiona Dubois, Marcella Desjarlais, Jerrit Desjarlais, Jonathan Desjarlais, Jenilee Desjarlais, Earl Desjarlais, and Anthony Littlewind; her children, Isaac, D'angelo, Trina, Tayonna, Izlee, Talisa, Jordan; grandchildren, Adam Hunt, Angelita Hunt, Isaac Hunt Jr., and Amani Hunt; her nephews and nieces and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and many other relatives and adopted mom, Johanna Hunt. Missy was known by everybody and had many close friends; apologies if anyone was missed while we are going through this difficult time. During the ending stages of cancer Missy was also mourning the disappearance of her first-born son, Isaac James Hunt during the month of March 2024, who is still missing to this day. Our family prays she got closure being reunited with him when she passed. Melissa was preceded in death by her father, Manuel Littlewind Sr.; brother, Manuel Littlewind Jr; her grandparents, Violet and Norbert Fournier; special friend, Lakeisha "Kiki" Charboneau; adopted father, Ronald Hunt Sr.
Red ID: FND_I_78813 Image ID: 518512 Image Notes: FND001 271323

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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