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Below is Melissa's obituary as it appeared in the Augusta Chronicle on August 5, 1992.
Mrs. Melissa Chapman, 24, of 1930 Hopie Road, died Monday, August 3, 1992, at University Hospital. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Curtis Funeral Home, Thomson, with the Rev. Ronald Young officiating. Burial will be at Mount Olive Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Chapman, a native of Richmond County, was a homemaker and a member of Victory Baptist Church, North Augusta. Survivors include her husband, Leroy Chapman; a son, Allen James Chapman, Augusta; her father and stepmother, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Widener, Harlem; her mother, Louise Harris, Augusta; three sisters, Tina Hopkins, Grovetown, Lita Gonzales, Augusta, and Delia Mercer, Fort Lauderdale, Fla; and two brothers, Jackie Widener, Vaucluse, S.C., and Tim Gonzales, Oviedo, Fla. Pallbearers will be Keith Majors, Kevin Majors, Patrick Chapman, Billy Cain, Jay O'Brien, and Bill Hammett. Friends may call at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Cliatt, Haver Hill Road, Harlem, or from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
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Tina Bell (Burke)
Melissa Yaulanda Widener Chapman 10/10/67 - 8/3/92Melissa was a wonderful person and my very best friend. We went through a lot together since middle school (mostly trying to stay out of trouble). She loved the Judds and one of her dreams was to write songs for them. She loved "Gone With the Wind". We would talk about friends and boyfriends by giving them names from the movie. We would refer to Rhett and Ashley and only we would know who we were really talking about. I still have notes that we wrote to each other using our "code". Sounds corny now but we had fun with it.
I knew that I could go to Melissa and talk about anything. She always listened and never passed judgment. It was like she knew exactly what I was going through at the time. I think of her often and wish that she was still here. But God has a purpose for everyone's life. Her purpose was to be married and have a son (He was almost 9 months when she died). I love and miss her very much.