Hundreds Remember Melodie Wilson At Funeral

Longtime Milwaukee journalist Melodie Wilson was laid to rest Saturday.

BROOKFIELD - Melodie Wilson's own children and husband moved her casket, then they moved family and friends with their words.

"The day she died, although in a coma, unable to respond, I know she heard me," Melodie's daughter Courtney Oldenburg told the congregation. "I leaned to her and whispered 'You are my hero.'"

Hundreds gathered for the funeral service Saturday afternoon in Elmbrook Church.

Melodie spent two decades reporting news in Milwaukee and raised four children along the way; Morgan, Courtney, Lauren and Ryan.

"You were no ordinary person, but someone extraordinary that was too much of an angel for this earth," said Lauren.

Melodie won her first battle with cancer. The victory motivated her to leave her journalism career and devote her energy to awareness.

Wilson's non-profit organization ABCD, After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, pairs newly diagnosed women with a mentor who's been through the war.

"She wanted to leverage her popularity to help provide information, to help provide one-to-one mentoring to other women with breast cancer," said her husband Wayne Oldenburg. "Melodie had no regrets, just a lot of unfinished business."

Melodie's cancer came back. This time it was just too aggressive. Yet, even as illness took over, she continued to inspire and worked to transition her organization's leadership to others.

"She taught me more about faith and love than I even taught her," said Pastor Bill Knapp of Fox Point Lutheran Church, who frequently met to pray and chat over coffee with Melodie.

And after the service, a promise from cancer survivor Kathy Ehley to continue the mission.

"She really helped people feel comfortable about talking about breast cancer, not keeping themselves isolated," said Ehley, who is now president of ABCD.

Melodie's family said she wanted a public funeral so that she would have one more opportunity to spread the message about breast cancer awareness.

Melodie Wilson was 59. She passed away Monday.

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