Melissa Jo (McGuirt) Thatcher

Melissa (Missy) Jo (McGuirt) Thatcher, 53, of Gastonia passed away peacefully on Wednesday June 22, 2022, at the Robin Johnson Hospice House in Dallas, NC. She succumbed to a hard-fought cancer battle, but the disease did not define her. It was a testament to her courage and strength. Melissa was a very proud and patriotic American and United States Air Force Veteran, retiring as a Chief Master Sergeant with more than 32 years of dedicated service. She loved Oak Island and traveling abroad, no destination too out of reach or too adventurous, even aspiring to one day having citizenship granted in Scotland. She researched and read, always trying to learn more and improve. She was creative in the kitchen, sometimes daydreaming of baking in retirement. She also enjoyed gardening and crocheting. She was a caretaker, often taking care of others before herself.

Melissa was a devoted wife to her husband David Thatcher whom she met 15 years ago during a deployment in the middle east. While there were miles between them during their early years, the distance would not keep them apart. Wherever Melissa was, there was also David. They would have celebrated an 11th anniversary on June 24, 2022.

Melissa was the daughter of Mary Jo Self and the late Tommy Eugene McGuirt, Sr. She was the oldest of two children, survived by her younger brother Tommy McGuirt, Jr. She was the mother of Josh and Kaylee, stepmother of David (Laura) and Kayleigh (Allan) and grandmother to Katie, Liam, Eli and Cole. Besides her family in North Carolina, she is also survived by an extended family in Scotland, a family that Melissa loved as her own. The friendships made and the memories shared with Melissa are too many to count.

A service celebrating the life of Melissa will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday June 29, 2022 at Carothers Funeral Home, 2205 Williamsburg Drive, Gastonia. The family will receive friends before the service, beginning at 10:00 am, at the funeral home. The North Carolina Air National Guard will render full military honors. Reverend Roger Overton, of Second Baptist Church in Mt. Holly, will officiate and offer words of encouragement and hope to family and friends that gather to remember Melissa.

Fond memories of Melissa and condolences for the family may be left at www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made in Melissa’s name to the Robin Johnson Hospice House, C/O Gaston Hospice, P.O. Box 3984, Gastonia NC 28054 or https://www.caromonthealth.org/Services/Hospice-Palliative-Services.aspx.

The staff of Carothers Funeral Home at Gaston Memorial Park is Honored to serve the Thatcher Family.