Melody Harriman

Melody Ann Harriman, beloved niece, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend, passed away on August 27, 2026, in Amarillo, Texas, following a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Melody was born on December 24, 1949, in Elkhart, Kansas, to Darlene (Wiggins) and Leo F. Harriman. She spent the first 18 years of her life in Keyes, Oklahoma, where she was raised alongside her three sisters and brother. She treasured growing up surrounded by both of her grandmothers and all of her 31 cousins, forming close bonds with her extended family.

Melody graduated from Keyes High School in 1968 and later moved to Oklahoma City, where she attended business school and began building an independent life for herself. She worked in banking and held several other positions before returning to school at age 26 to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. She built a long and meaningful career in Business and Human Resources, where she worked for many years before retiring in 2014.

Melody was a strong, intelligent, independent, and very thrifty woman who believed in making her own way. She knew how to make things last, was careful with what she had, and approached life with practicality and perseverance.

Special occasions and family gatherings were made sweeter by some of Melody’s favorite recipes. She was known for her famous sour cream chocolate cake, which was loved by everyone in the family. At Christmas, she often made banana bread and zucchini bread, and handed out gum to all of “her kids”, creating a tradition that became a cherished part of the family’s holiday celebrations.

Melody found joy in the familiar comforts of life—going to the movies, watching her favorite shows on television, welcoming company into her home, and spending time with family and friends. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends and appreciated the experiences shared along the way. Reconnecting with former classmates was especially meaningful to her, and she looked forward to attending the Keyes Alumni Celebrations, where she could visit, reminisce, and reconnect with the community where she grew up.

Melody enjoyed her life in Oklahoma City, where she formed many lifelong friendships. She knew the city so well that she rarely felt the need for directions and was known to argue with the GPS when she believed it had chosen the wrong route.

She will be remembered for her independence, determination, sense of practicality, love of family and friends, and the many traditions and stories that were uniquely hers.

Melody was preceded in death by her parents and her great-nephew, Jonathan Leo Hunt.

She is survived by her uncle, John Wiggins of Irving, Texas, and her siblings, Lana (Jim) Geier of Trinidad, Colorado; Cynthia (Rod) Schemm of Guymon, Oklahoma; Mitchell (Lori) Harriman of Keyes, Oklahoma; and Crystal Harriman (Michael Lee) of Canyon, Texas.

Also left to cherish her memory are her nieces and nephews, Laura Morris, Amy Fort, Pam (Matt) Hunt, Byron Reed, Amber (Chris) Wood, Garrett (Melissa) Schemm, Mindi (Matt) Robertson, Jeremy (Sara) Schemm, and Clayton (Krishna) Harriman; great-nieces and great-nephews, Ashley (Paul) Calcutt, Harlan Morris, Brock (Courtney) Martin, Peighton (Casey) Fletcher, Brooke and Brynn Fort, Avery (Daniel Ruiz), Ethan and Joshua Hunt, Tanner (Bri), Caden, Makynna, and Kristyn Wood, Nathan and Kayla Schemm, Cooper, Kimber and Charlotte Harriman, and Jackson and Claire Schemm; and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews, Baylee, Langston, and Kolsyn Wood, Kaidleigh, Leeland, and Conlan Fletcher, Creek Martin, Josiah Hunt, Dominic Ruiz Hunt, and Carter, Zileigh, and Hayden Calcutt.

Many extended family members, friends, and others whose lives she touched throughout the years will lovingly remember her as well.

A celebration of Melody’s life will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 2:00pm at the Keyes United Methodist Church in Keyes, OK.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Keyes United Methodist Women or a charity of your choice and will be accepted through Henson-Novak Funeral Directors, P.O. Box 1306, Guymon, OK 73942.