Obituaries

Melanie was born November 1st, 1950, in Berwyn Alberta alongside her twin sister Margret. The fourth and fifth children to Agner and Buena Overgaard. The family lived and farmed outside of Berwyn until 1963 when they moved north to High Level, building and running the IGA store there.

Melanie left home at just 17 moving around the peace country a little before settling in Edmonton with her older sister Karen and her daughter Cheryl. She often looked back on this time with great affection, living in the big city, helping to care for Cheryl and working for Mayfair agency as a temp. When she would recant her stories from this time, I would refer to it as her ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ days. In the spring of 1974, she met Barry Prangnell while he was in Edmonton on break up visiting his brother. The pair moved to Grande Prairie soon after and were married in October.

One year later in November of 1975 they welcomed their first son Eric. Barry continued working as a heavy duty mechanic in Grande Prairie and Melanie stayed busy making their home welcoming their second son David in 1980 and daughter Laura in 1981.

Melanie was a loving and gentle Mom always taking the time to hand make games, books and activities. She loved reading and encouraged a passion for it early on, reading to us nightly from our latest chapter books. Melanie’s love of music was infectious. She loved Elvis, Neil Diamond and Dolly Parton. She embedded her love of music in her children, and it is a part of her that lives on in them and her grandchildren. Family was so important to her and she was happiest in those early years when we would all be together for big family Christmases and holidays. Nothing brought her more joy than cooking a big delicious meal for all the people she loved and if you were ever stuck for a gift for Melanie a good cook book was a sure thing!

Melaine was able to reprise her favorite role as a loving caregiver in the summer of 2000 when she became a ‘Nanny’. Being a grandma was pure unburdened joy and she loved planning a good sleepover movie night, shopping and lunch dates to the mall and endless hours colouring and crafting. She loved her grandchildren very much and always displayed their art work, shared funny stories and cute photos proudly.

Melanie was an incredibly kind and empathetic person and at times she seemed to carry the weight of the world. She had her struggles in life but her heart was always in the right place. In 2011 Melanie suffered a brain aneurysm causing life long deficits. While we were sad for the changes that followed this seemed to almost set her free from the near constant worry and guilt. She was able to live the past 15 years of her life at the Grande Prairie Care Centre as the most glamourous, stylish, social butterfly. She loved her bingo, happy hour and the numerous outings. She was, in fact, reported often to have attended 100% of all the scheduled activities. Her short brief battle with cancer ended exactly how she lived these last years of her life, on her own terms, peacefully and gracefully.

Melanie was undoubtedly met in the open arms of her Mom (Buena), Dad (Agner), Brother in law (Yves) and her sister (Karen) and I’m sure the celebration they are having is beautiful.

She leaves to mourn her sons Eric (Heather) and David (Gena), daughters Laura (Tel) and Cathy who always held a very special place in her heart, brothers Brian (Linda), Bob (Teresa), and Eric ‘Buck’, her sister Margret, Grandchildren Madison (Ezra), Samuel (Reid), Abby, Shelby, Adam, Orrin, Lola and Willem as well as nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Thank you to all the staff at the Grande Prairie Care Centre who made the last years of her life so comfortable and happy. A very special Thank you to Dr. Pope who was such a kind and dedicated Doctor right to the very end.

Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home bcfh.ca 780 830-7742