Melissa Brown, Missie, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2026 in Montana. Missie was born June 30,1948 to Noah Beery Jr. and Maxine Jones Beery. Missie was raised in southern California and graduated from Corvallis High School in Studio City in 1966.
Growing up, Missie always had a tremendous love of animals and the outdoors, preferring to spend any free time she could on her family's ranch near Tehachapi. She met her husband Harlan in Santa Barbara and they moved to the central coast where she spent most of her adult life alongside Harlan and their daughter, Alethea, managing the Hearst Ranch in San Simeon, California. She loved this chapter of her life and so embraced the land and livestock under their care.
Missie and Harlan retired together to build a beautiful home and ranch that they both so dearly loved in Parkfield, California. After Harlan’s passing Missie moved to Big Sky Country, Montana to spend the rest of her years with her daughter, Alethea and family.
Missie loved her family and her friends and her many animals, especially her dogs, kitties and horses. To know Missie is to know her love of all creatures great and small. Many folks relied on her over the years for her keen abilities to doctor sick or injured animals, rescue orphaned ones and rehabilitate those who needed attentive time and care. She was a natural when it came to caring for her animals and all who were blessed to know her could certainly see it.
Missie is survived by her daughter, Alethea (Russ), her sister Maxine, brother Buck (Lucy). She also leaves behind her grandchildren and a vast extended family all of whom she dearly loved.
To share condolences, click here to visit the Croxford Funeral Home website.
