Melissa Cook Nifong

Mrs. Melissa Paulette Cook Nifong, age 71, passed away Wednesday, September 10, 2025. She was born November 12, 1953 in Welch, West Virginia to the late Dr. Paul E. Cook and Mildred Marie Stevens. She grew up in Newark, Delaware until the 9th grade but spent many summers in Pineville, WV. With both sets of grandparents, aunts and uncles and too many cousins to mention. She was blessed with many wonderful yearly family reunions. One grandfather was a much beloved pastor of Rock Castle Baptist Church and the other was the Sheriff of the county. Her father was a pastor and transferred to the largest American Baptist Church in WV, in Phillipi, WV. She graduated from Phillipi High School. She attended Alderson Broaddus College for 2 years and transferred and graduated from Marshall University in July 1976 with a B.A. in Education Specializing in teaching children with learning disabilities. She moved back to Newark, Delaware and taught for a few years, then moved to Davidson, NC to be close to her mother, grandmother and uncle. She then attended UNC-Charlotte to get a degree in Commercial Interior Design and that is when she was introduced to Dr. Paul Nifong, Jr. by mutual friends Mary and Dr. Atlas Cleveland Dunn, III. She moved to Advance NC to teach at Shady Grove Elementary School for 5 years.

She married Dr. Paul D. Nifong, Jr. and they were blessed with three children, Alexander Paul Nifong, Patrick Stevens Nifong and his wife Ana Linn and Molly Grace Nifong. She has one surviving sister, Annette Roberts and nephew Johnathan Roberts.

She truly enjoyed being around young children and infants. She taught kindergarten class for a few years at Clemmons Moravian Church before raising her three children. She also became involved, sponsoring and supporting children in the Christian Children Fund International organization for 45 years. She felt blessed and thankful for the life she had and gave repeatedly to many different organizations, especially ones involving children. Melissa suffered most of her adult life with depression/anxiety and was private about it and yet she was very empathetic and sensitive to the feelings, suffering and troubles of others. This was her gift to the world. She believed in and practiced the fruits of the holy spirit, Joy, Patience, Peace, Gentleness, Generosity, Goodness, Faithfulness, Kindness, Self-Control, Hope, and especially, Love. She was and will always be my sweetheart and devoted wife, though I only knew her for 46 years.

A funeral service will be held 3:00 PM Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at Clemmons Moravian Church officiated by Rev. Christopher C. Thore. Burial will follow in the church graveyard. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Greensboro Children’s Home at www.chsnc.org or by mail to Children’s Home Society of NC ATTN: Accounting PO Box 14608, Greensboro, NC 27415. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com. Hayworth-Miller Kinderton Chapel is assisting the family.