Kristine Marie (Melaragno) Highland

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(Sept. 23, 1967 - Nov. 10, 2016)

On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, Kristine Marie (Melaragno) Highland ended a 20-year battle with cancer and died peacefully in Billings with her loving husband by her side. She was 49.

“Krissy,” as she was called by her family, was born on Sept. 23, 1967, in Erie, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Barbara Melaragno. She grew up in the small town of Ashtabula, Ohio.

Kris graduated from Ashtabula High School in 1985. A year later she married her high school sweetheart, Richard Juhaz. His military career took them to Lemoore, California.

She met her second husband, Jeffrey Lapp, and together they had a son — Brandon, Kris’s pride and joy. They moved to Cody, and it was there that Kris found work at Albertsons.

She soon met her soul mate and third husband, Guy. Kris made many lifelong friends in her new home. She was a homebody who loved to cook, decorate and entertain. She especially enjoyed the company of her two Labradors.

While she considered herself a Wyoming girl, she still retained pride in her Ohio roots. She loved the Cleveland Indians, Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cavaliers, and even the Browns.

Her courageous battle with cancer began in 1997. This struggle taught Kris to cherish every person and every moment in her life.

She was preceded in death by grandparents Joseph and Edith Melaragno, Charles and Miriam Harris, Victoria and Frank Luce, and Laurence Wight; father Joseph A. Melaragno; and father-in-law Paul Turmaine.

She is survived by her son Brandon Lapp; husband Guy Highland; mother Barbara Melaragno; mother-in-law Judith Highland; siblings Kimberly (Franklin) Brown, Joey (Johanna) Melaragno, Kristi Murphy, Kelli Murphy; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and two great-nieces.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m., with services starting at 11 a.m. at Ballard Funeral Home in Cody.

Letters of condolences can be sent to Guy Highland, 106 Rio Vista Avenue, Cody, WY, 82414, and to The Melaragno Family, 3708 Beacon Point Street, Las Vegas, NV 89129.

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