Melina McNair

Melina McNair, 53, passed away on Sunday, December 1, 2024.

A celebration of Melina's life will take place at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. Family will be there to greet guests one hour prior to the start of the service. The service will be livestreamed on this website. 

Melina was born June 18, 1971, in Forrest City, Arkansas, the daughter of Lee and Agnes McNair. She was the youngest of four children in the family. 

Her dad was in the military, and they moved around quite a bit when she was younger. After graduating from high school, she did live in the south for a while before moving back to Bismarck to take care of her mom who was having some health issues.

Melina was a certified nursing assistant, working at different nursing homes in Minot and Bismarck. Not only was she a caregiver at her job, she was also a caregiver in her everyday life. She was a mama bear to every kid in the neighborhood and all the kids called her mom. She was a protector, a wall, a shield. She was there anyone who needed her no matter what time of the day. 

She enjoyed doing crafts, writing, poetry, journalism and gaming. She found solace in the Wicken ways and especially enjoyed her crystals. She also studied and respected the Ancient Egyptian religion. The one hobby she cherished the most though was just supporting everyone around her. 

When Melina earned the name grandma, her heart got even bigger, those kids were her pride and joy, and she would do anything for them. She really also enjoyed dogs, including her dog, Cyre, and her grand dogs, Junior, Dante, Max and Mila.

She is survived by her son Brandon (Christelle) Austill of Bismarck and their daughter Aurora; her daughter, Dominique (Kyle) Sneed of Nebraska and their children, Liam, Kayden Jax and Owen; son, Mark (Charli Fasching) Hanson and their son, Anthony Albert Hanson; siblings, Ernie McNair and Jackie McNair; two nephews; one niece; longtime friends she called sisters, Margaret Ensz and Denise Ensz, along with all the kids who called her “Mom” throughout the years!

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Agnes McNair and her brother, Curtis McNair.