Melissa (Mel) Bottiger, 38, Overland Park, KS, passed away Friday, March 3, at 2:07 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Overland Park, Kansas.

Melissa is survived by Vickie Bottiger, mother; Darcy Bottiger-Mantooth, sister; Scott Mantooth, brother-in-law; Ruby Mantooth, niece; Linsey Bottiger, sister; Nathan Davis, brother-in-law; Shirley Brown-Freed, grandmother; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Melissa was preceded in death by her loving father, Thomas C. Bottiger.

The family would like to give special acknowledgment to Mel’s caregivers and companions at Dreams Work, where Mel spent the last fifteen years of her life. Because of her disabilities, most people did not have a chance to know Mel well. Not true of the folks at Dreams Work! They not only gave Mel care, love, and companionship, they were like family, and they were her friends! We are eternally grateful to this devoted group of caregivers and special patients who knew Mel best. We are honored to share their sweet tribute to Mel that says it all:

Dear Dreams Work Family,

We have lost our dear friend Melissa. She put up a very strong fight but finally went home to see her Daddy, Friday March 3rd. Mel was a co-founding member of Dreams Work, Inc. and helped open our doors 15 years ago.

Our “Arabian Princess”, as Zaina Ali calls her, will be missed every day. Her sly smile, which was infectious, let us know that she was aware of all the joking going on between the staff and all the fun we have on a daily basis. We will miss her soft hands, big beautiful black eyes, and her thick luxurious hair. We knew she was happy and content when she was blowing bubbles. She loved tricking us into thinking that she didn’t like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, just so we’d give her pizza or French fries. She got a kick out of dressing up with Z and becoming a belly dancer for the afternoon!

The family suggests contributions to:

Dreams Work, Inc.

Attention: Adam Chittum, Director of Admin.

11217 Strang Line Rd.

Lenexa KS 66215