Northfield, NH – Melissa K. (Chamberlin) Cheney, 63, born on December 10, 1954, died surrounded by family on January 18, 2018 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.

Melissa was an avid gardener, cook, canner and pickle-maker extraordinaire.  She grew up in Salisbury as the middle child of a large family and lived for many years at her home in Andover. Two years ago, she moved to Northfield to be with her youngest sister.

While she spent time cooking in New York, Virginia, Alabama, and on an oil rig outside of Texas, she always came home to New Hampshire.  She worked at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana in Concord for over 30 years as one of their head cooks and, most recently, their baker.  Jane, the owner, said “It’s a very sad day here at Hermanos. In many ways, Melissa was Hermanos.”  She will be missed.

Melissa is survived by four siblings, Bill Chamberlin and his wife Beth, Mollye Gauer and her husband Dale, Meriellen Joga, and Sam Chamberlin, her sister-in-heart, Kathy Luger, two nephews, Alek Joga and Curtis Chamberlin, and her niece, Sara Graber and Sara’s family.  She is predeceased by her parents, David and Joy Chamberlin, her brother Mark Chamberlin, and her nephew, Jeremy MacArthur.

The family invites all to join us for visiting hours on Saturday, January 27 from 3 to 5 PM at the Cremation Society of NH (Phaneuf), 172 King Street, Boscawen, NH.  She will be buried with her parents in West Salisbury at the convenience of the family.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Salisbury Free Library, P.O. Box 284, Salisbury, NH 03268