Melanie Baier Cherry died February 4, 2008 at home after a year-long battle with cancer. She touched countless lives with her courage, bravery, eternal optimism, and a smile that could light up any room and brighten everyone's day. Melanie was born in Fort Madison, Iowa on March 16, 1973. She was raised in Iowa, Minnesota, and Austin, Texas where she graduated from Westlake High School in 1991. She lettered in swimming and qualified and competed in the state high school championships all 4 years. She was awarded a 5 year full scholarship for swimming to Illinois State University, a Division 1 school. She also took classes at the University of Texas, Austin and graduated from Old Dominion in Virginia in 1995 having earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in International business and Spanish. Melanie moved to Dallas, Texas after college graduation and took a job as Senior Planner at Fossil, Inc. While at Fossil she met Brandon Cherry and they married May 13, 2000. In 2004 she became a Senior Allocator with JC Penney, Corporate. Her immediate family currently resides in Frisco, Texas. Melanie is survived by her husband, Brandon, sons Jake, 5 and Cole, 23 months, her parents Jerry and Patricia Baier, sister, Melissa Baier, maternal grandmother Shirley Beemer, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. In celebration of Melanie's life, friends and family are invited to attend a visitation between 6 and 8 p.m., February 8, 2008 at the Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home located at 2525 Central Expressway North (Highway 75) Allen, Texas 75013. The memorial service will be held the following day at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel at Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home. Memorials can be sent to the Jake and Cole Cherry Trust Fund, c/o the Fort Madison Bank and Trust, 636 Avenue G., Fort Madison, Iowa 52627.