Melanie A. Beaton, 22, of Salem, NH died unexpectedly Thursday, Jan. 15th at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, FL.
Melanie was a student at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, where she was majoring in environmental studies. In July, 2014 she volunteered as an intern on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where she worked on improving living conditions and soil conservation.
Melanie grew up in Salem and graduated with honors from Salem High School in 2010, where she wrote articles for the SHS literary magazine and the student newspaper, and was a member of the National Honor Society. In 2009, she was honored as best writer of drama and young adult fiction in her junior class. In October, 2003, as a sixth-grade student at the Woodbury School, she was chosen as a first-prize winner of the Salem Observer's Halloween writing contest for children.
Melanie enjoyed poetry, spending time outdoors, traveling, and playing video games. She loved spending time with her friends.
She was predeceased by her maternal grandfather, Robert Commito.
Melanie is survived by her parents, Linda (Commito) and Douglas Beaton of Salem, NH; her siblings, Kimberly and Cecil Beaton of Salem, NH; her paternal grandparents, Edna Carlson Beaton of Melrose, MA and John Beaton of Hampton Falls, NH; her maternal grandmother, Vincenza Commito of Wakefield, MA; her aunt, Licia Commito of Wakefield, MA and uncle, Eric Beaton of Melrose, MA and his fiancé Grace Nugroho.
Calling hours will be Thursday, January 22nd from 4:00-8:00 pm at Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home, 214 Main St., Salem, NH. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Matthew Parish, 2 Searles Rd., Windham, NH, Friday, January 23rd at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Salem.
Donations in Melanie's memory may be made to: St. Matthew Parish's Dominican Republic Mission Project, 2 Searles Road Windham, NH 03087 to support the mission work Melanie was helping with in Latin America.