Ann Melissa Schepis

Ann Melissa Schepis, 78 years old, of Denver Colorado, passed away on March 5, 2024.  She was born in Canton, Ohio. She was predeceased by Richard and Shirley Marshall (parents), Judd and Richard Marshall (brothers), and leaves behind Jillian and Charles Lanza, their children Madison, Grant and Jack, Lisa and Tommy Koch, their children Kelsey, Zac, and Libby, Rick Schepis and Rachel Grynberg, their children Jared and Talia, and Nicole Schepis and her children Chase and Cooper, and her cousin Gwen Mooney. 

She was a passionate, exceptional singer and guitarist and was a member of a band called Stone Soup String band, which played local festivals and parties in the Denver Metro area, and a few gigs in the mountains including at the People’s Fair, Aspen Wheeler Opera House and Rock Rest in Golden, Colorado. She was a true creative who loved art. In her own words, “playing with watercolors has been a sandbox to dabble and goof in.” Ann was always passionate about making the world a better place. She was part of the very first battered women’s shelter in Colorado-she was commended for her work by President Jimmy Carter. Ann was a musician, artist and activist, but the role that fulfilled her most was as the matriarch of her family. She was a true modern Renaissance woman. 

Ann graduated from Metro State University with a B.A. in Social Work as a single mother with four young children.  She was one of the first counselors at Denver’s Safe House. She also worked at Bethesda Mental Institute and in Denver’s social services department for Child Support and at dementia care facilities. At the sunset of her career, Ann worked for a year in Australia as a counselor to refugees immigrating from Vietnam.      

Ann retired and enjoyed 14 years in Florida where her family visited frequently, creating many memories in her yellow house and at the beach. The ocean always brought Ann joy and peace.

She returned to Denver in 2017 to be closer to the majority of her children and grandchildren.   Ann loved and cherished her family. She always answered the phone and always welcomed their visits even when she was feeling poorly. Her grandchildren loved her wicked sense of humor and infectious laugh. 

Ann was spiritual. Raised episcopalian, she studied and adopted many Buddhist philosophies as an adult. Ann was a perpetual student, a voracious reader, and was always ahead of her time. She was constantly working to improve herself, even in her final days. 

Ann was exceptionally intelligent and believed in improving the world through kindness and compassion. The legacy she leaves is one of love, togetherness, and tolerance which her children share and extend to her grandkids. She provided guidance, relentlessly taught kindness, generosity, and gratitude. Her expectation of those traits is inspiration to try our best to be kinder and more empathetic and nudge others to do the same.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to; Denver Safehouse - www.safehouse-denver.org or to Housed Working and Healthy - www.housedworkingandhealthy.org in Ann's name and memory. 

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