Our beloved Melissa Renee Smith (Manley), better known as Lisa, was born July 20, 1965 to the late Albert Lee Manley and the late Jessie Bell Manley in Goldsboro, NC. She lived a fulfilling life in which she touched the lives of countless people. Melissa was called home to be with our Lord and Savior on October 2, 2018.
Melissa received her education at Southern Wayne High School in Dudley, NC, receiving her High School Diploma in 1984. She attended Wayne Community College from 1984 to 1985. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Maryland where she lived with her Brother, Albert Manley for a short time before striking out on her own. With some encouragement from her brother she began a lifelong career in the field of Security as a Federal Contract Protective Service Officer. Over the course of her career she has worked for several different companies including Black Hawk Security, Nationwide Security, Wackenhut International Security, Coastal International Security, and finally Diversified Protection Corporation. She has served in every position from Officer to Sergeant to Lieutenant to Captain to Major. Her final tenure was served at the Drug Enforcement Administration Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, where she was employed for over 15 years. She was a staple at DEA, very well-known and respected by her fellow co-workers and DEA staff alike who couldn’t help but to love her.
Lisa was always the life of the party. She had a way of bringing people together from all walks of life and making everyone feel like family. She was famous for throwing the best cookouts; complete with more food than anyone could eat, great music, dancing, nonstop laughs, and of course a game or two of Spades. Lisa loved to travel and enjoy life. In recent years she’s traveled to Chicago, Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Barbados. And though she lived in Maryland for the greater portion of her life, Dudley, North Carolina always was and always will be home.
Lisa loved her friends and family very deeply, especially her two children and her grandchildren, better known as “Nana’s Babies”. She was incredibly generous, loyal, and devoted. She would move mountains for those she loved. Lisa wasn’t much of a phone person, but if you ever called her (or texted her) because you needed her for anything, she was there without hesitation… every time. She was truly a gem; one of a kind.
Melissa is preceded to Glory by her Father, Albert Lee Manley; Mother, Jessie Bell Manley; Brother, Ricardo Nichelson; and Sister, Marilyn Manley.
Her spunky, down-to-earth, amiable, generous and magnetic nature will be missed by all who love her and had the honor of getting to know her, however, her memories and her legacy will continue to live on through her children; Lawrence Manley (Lawrence Philyaw) and Malisa Smith (Tony Smith), her siblings; Vicklin Nichelson, Diane Nichelson, Albert Manley, Sedric Manley, Kimbla (Franca) Faire, and Martha King, her grandchildren; Lawrence Manley, Jr, Cristian Manley, and Laila Manley, a host of beloved nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, countless friends turned family, and her life companion of 12 years, Gerald Johnson.
