She was the eldest daughter of Robert and Linda Melton, born on July 21, 1966 in Inglewood, California. She grew up in Southern California with her best friend and younger sister Melinda, and many close friends.
As a young woman in 1981, she experienced the tragic injury of her father. Bob, a police officer for the city of Gardena, CA, was shot on duty while responding to an armed criminal. Although Bob survived, he was permanently wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.
Doreen attended Whitney High School and Cypress High School. After high school, she attended Fullerton College and California State University, Fullerton where she was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Child and Adolescent Development. She also received a certificate in Human Resources Management from Cal State Fullerton.
Doreen originally planned to be an elementary school teacher, however she accepted a position in accounting while attending college, which then became her career for the next 35 years. Most notably, she was a part of the Cherry Aerospace accounting department in Santa Ana, CA for 22 years, ensuring that all employees there received timely and accurate paychecks.
While at Cypress High School at the age of 16, she met the love of her life, Derek Ricci (also age 16). After meeting, they were inseparable. They were married in Las Vegas, Nevada in April of 1990, surrounded by family and friends. They had two children together, Jessica (1993) and Joshua (1996). In April of 2020, they celebrated their 30 year wedding anniversary. They were like two peas in a pod for over 37 years.
There were a great many things that she loved… She loved walking along the beach and having her toes in the sand. She loved to travel, and had visited a great many places around the world, including: Canada, Mexico, England, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Greece, New Zealand, and many Caribbean islands. She also loved many destinations here in the United States, a favorite of hers was Hawaii, and she has visited a great many of our beautiful National Parks. She loved Disneyland, family barbecues, and playing card games and board games. She loved to hike locally, and completed many half-marathons. She loved to find the best bakeries in every city she visited. She loved Mexican food. She loved going to the movies. She loved being Mom to her two wonderful children, and she loved being a “mom” to many young girl scouts, as she was a girl scout leader in Las Flores, CA for 7 years. She most loved her family – her husband, children, mother, sister, nieces, and nephews.
In 2016, she began her battle with cancer and endured several risky surgeries and procedures, but she bounced back strongly from each of them. She never lost hope, and she encouraged her family not to worry. She kept high spirits even while feeling ill. Ultimately, this last battle was lost on May 30th.
She is survived by her husband Derek Ricci; her daughter Jessica Hume and son-in-law Bryan Hume; her son Joshua Ricci and his girlfriend Courtney Berry; her mother Linda Brown; her sister Melinda Weis; her brother-in-law Jeff Weis; her niece and nephews Allison Civitelli, Doug Civitelli, and Nick Weis; her brother-in-law Carlos Ricci; her uncle Don and aunt Marsha DeContreras; as well as many loving extended family and friends.
She is predeceased by her father Robert Melton and stepmother Laurie Melton; father-in-law Paul Ricci and mother-in-law Ana Ricci.
Services will be held in the chapel at the Westminster Memorial Park Mortuary in Westminster, CA on Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 9:30am. Burial will follow immediately after services. Because of the global coronavirus pandemic, the family asks that attendees please honor social distancing recommendations, use masks as appropriate, and limit handshakes and hugs.
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