Melissa Emily Briscoe

Melissa Emily Briscoe, 44, of Arlington, Tx passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 8, 2015. A viewing will be held Tuesday evening January 13 from 6:00-8:00pm. Her Memorial Service will be Wednesday January 14 at 4:30. Both will be at Wade Family Funeral Home in Arlington. In lieu of flowers it is suggested a contribution to the gofundme “Support Melissa” or a donation to the Colon Cancer Alliance. Melissa was born in Bloomington, Indiana on April 30, 1970 as the second of four children to Carol and Gerald Koziolek. She and her family arrived in Arlington, Texas in the fall of 1970. She attended Hill Elementary, Bailey Junior High, and Arlington High where she graduated from in 1988. She received her Bachelors of Education degree from Stephen F. Austin University in 1992. Her religious beliefs were formed at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church. Growing up Melissa was an aggressive, competitive athlete receiving many awards in soccer, softball and volleyball including the Lynda Bradham Memorial Scholarship for volleyball when she was a high school senior. Her goal from the time she was a little girl was to be a teacher. She reached her goal when she began teaching at Johns Elementary in the Arlington ISD in 1993. Her excellence in teaching was recognized by receiving the 2009 Optimist Teacher of the Year, 2010 AWARE Nominee, 2013 Masonic Teacher of Merit, 2014 Johns Teacher of the Year, and 2014 Kiwanis AISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. She also was a devoted mother to her children Zachary, Emily, Dylan and their brother Garrett. She will be sorely missed by many whose lives she touched. Melissa was predeceased by her grandparents Lee V. and Betty Smith, Frank and Emily Koziolek, and all her paternal aunts and uncle. Melissa is survived by her parents Carol and Gerald, her children Zachary, Emily, Dylan and stepson Garrett, brothers Matthew (Susan) and Philip, sister Nan Ross (Kyle), Aunt Sarah Sovine (Wayne), Uncle David Smith (Rita), nieces and nephews Andrea, Zach, Sullivan and Delaney, and many cousins and a host of friends.