Melissa Morton Lackman

It is with profound sadness that Melissa Morton Lackman’s family announces her passing from complications of leukemia on April 1st, 2024, two weeks shy of her 70th birthday. The world is darker for the loss of her radiance.

Born in Dallas, TX, on April 14th, 1954, to Jack and Sweetie Morton, Melissa was the second-youngest of four; they lived there until she was a teenager, when they moved to Memphis, TN, and then later to Bellevue, WA. She spread her wings in the Pacific Northwest, deciding to pursue Art History at Seattle Pacific University, graduating in 1977. There she met her husband, Vernon, and they married in 1980. During this time she decided to pursue a career in law — and had no problem getting into UC Berkeley, graduating with her JD in 1981. She practiced law for 11 years, and in that time, supported her husband through medical school and gave birth to two children.

With her husband in medical practice, Melissa was able to shift her focus — law never made her happy. She briefly attended seminary before giving birth to her third child, after which she circled back around to her true passion: art. A prolific abstract artist, she left behind several handmade quilts — and hundreds of paintings. She worked in many different media over the years, from charcoal to oil to watercolor to acrylic to fabric to fire and wax. Her favorite was encaustic, and her work has been featured in a number of juried shows over her 12 years in the medium. Her mind was always engaged, and when she wasn’t painting, she was singing or reading or having a very real conversation with a cat.

Melissa served on the board of a number of organizations over the years, including The Balanced Mind Foundation, International Encaustic Artists, and the ARTree, and was a member of several others. She embraced her quiet faith and showed her walk with Christ in her many acts of service. It was clear to everyone who knew her that she strove to show the world love and kindness. No one in her home went hungry. She was the voice of reason and the pinnacle of compassion.

She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Dr. Vernon Lackman, of Сanyon Country; two of her children, daughter Audrey Morton Parker of Sherman Oaks and son Chris Lackman of Canyon Country; son-in-law Cory Parker of Sherman Oaks; younger sister Nanci Morton Harper of Sacramento; brother-in-law Bob Harper of Sacramento; cousins Julie Bangle and Ivan Nicodemus of Dallas; several nieces and nephews; and several adopted grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her son James Arthur Lackman, her sister Jacqueline Suzanne Vosney, and her brother Robert Stephen Morton.

Her memorial service will take place at Eternal Valley Memorial Park and Mortuary on May 4th, 2024, at 10am. Donations in her memory can be made to The ARTree Community Arts Center in Santa Clarita. An exhibition of her artwork will be held later in the year, details TBD.