Tamara Jayne Melendez

Tamara Jayne Melendez, the daughter of Delbert and Mary (Jayne) Andersen, was born January 11, 1962, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa and died June 8, 2009, at the Kavanagh House in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 47 years, 4 months, and 27 days.
Tammy was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Brayton, Iowa in 1972. She attended Exira Community Schools, graduating with the High School Class of 1980. Tammy then attended Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education in 1984. She taught at Shawnee Mission Christian School in Kansas City, KS for a short time. She moved to LaSalle-Peru, IL and taught at the Christian School for several years. Tammy then moved to Council Bluffs, IA where she taught a short time, then moved to the Ankeny Christian Academy in Ankeny, IA. In 2001 Tammy was employed at the Hub with Sears in Des Moines, IA until 2004. The past five years Tammy has taught at the Victory Christian Academy in Indianola, IA, a combined First and Second Grade Class. Tammy worked ten consecutive years during the summers at the Iowa Regular Baptist Camp in Ventura, IA on Clear Lake. She worked as a cook and the last three years as the Head Cook.
Tammy was a member of the Norwalk Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School. She enjoyed watching the Avonlea DVDs with her daughter Natalia. She enjoyed sewing and playing the piano.
Preceding her in death were her grandparents.
Survivors include her daughter Natalia Melendez of Norwalk, IA; her parents, Delbert and Mary Andersen of Exira, IA; her grandmother Edna Petersen of Exira; her sister and husband, Sally and Dr. Frank Dunham of Norwalk; uncles, aunts, cousins; her Victory Christian Academy Family; her First Baptist Church Family in Norwalk; her First Baptist Church Family in Brayton, IA; other relatives and friends.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery.

Visitation:
The family will meet friends Thursday evening at 6:00 P.M. at Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, IA.

Service:
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Darwin Miller, Jr. on Friday, June 12, 2009, at 1:30 P.M. at the First Baptist Church in Brayton, IA.