After seeing her picture on the memorial announcement, it still doesn't seem real.

After a really terrible experience, I vowed I'd never return to Southern California. I never thought I'd find myself flying out there for Mel's interment (which is a fancy way of saying "funeral") and standing up to speak at her memorial. (I'm the person that most of the people I know would tackle to stop me from speaking.)

Somehow I managed to actually speak from the heart without offending anyone. After Mel's memorial someone sweetly said, "I can't believe it's over." I replied, "No, it's not. I don't think it will ever be over."

At every show where Mel is (physically) absent, we will remember. When someone else hands Morrissey a little gift, we'll be looking for Mel's smirking face, and "First of the Gang To Die" will never sound the same to me. We'll never get to enjoy her insanely detailed reviews. That doesn't even cover the personal side of things. (Who else would send me a shirt like that? — For those who are in on the joke.)

She tried to teach me to be a better, stronger person, but I'll never learn. Wish me luck, my friend, goodbye (farewell, ta-ta)...

Thanks to Vu and myrna for keeping us in the loop about the memorial of one of our best, and now one of the dear 'faces fixed in our heads'.

Very nice! Wish I could have made it to the service to catch up with you all.

Rest in peace Melinda x
Once the heart stops beating....we never know when our number's up. God bless.

to you and your family.Mel I forgive you, even though we never really got along. My apologies, for being a 20 yer ol kid whom you really never did enjoy. Which is a shame, because I would have loooved to have been caught on "Morrissey's Greatest Tits" like a frighened animal :) I never missed school or work to attend shows in the past. RIP! my condolences to the family and friends you left behind. "May God or one of his relatives bless you. I wish I'd gone down with you. To where Mother Nature makes your bed. Your face is fixed in my head, I wish i'd gone down with you. Take me please.. im freeeee!!!!"

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/8295/592010206.jpg

But was there anything more to her than being a Morrissey fan?

And why did donations go to both diabaties research and PETA when PETA opposes diabetes research? And please don't anyone tell me that PETA supports some diabetes research. I can pull up quotes from the top folks at PETA where they basically say, "Don't get sick in the first place, schmo." They absolutely oppose diabetes research. There would not even be insulin shots if PETA had their way. It's a shame that this Morrissey fan's death had to be politicized by money going to a radical, fringe political organization like PETA that actually wants people with diabetes to DIE.