Melissa DeHart Obituary

Former Durango resident Melissa Lee DeHart died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, in Simi Valley, Calif. She was 39. Although she had been through a long period of recovery after years of suffering with anorexia, the years had taken their toll on her body.

Ms. DeHart was born to Lee and Eileen DeHart on July 6, 1974, in Boulder. She graduated from Estes Park High School in 1992.

She studied broadcast journalism at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

"Melissa dedicated her life to helping and inspiring those suffering from eating disorders and addiction," according to her family. "Her wit and positivity shed slivers of light to people in otherwise dark places. She was an exceptional writer, a lover of music, dance and all things fabulous."

For various periods in the 2000s, she lived in Durango. At one time, Ms. DeHart worked as a hostess at Christina's Grill & Bar. She frequently gave talks about eating disorders to health classes at Durango High School.

As part of her advocacy, Ms. DeHart appeared on "Entertainment Tonight" and the "Maury Povich Show." She was affiliated with the Rader Institute, which treats people with eating disorders, in Los Angeles for a number of years.

She was working as a blogger and motivational speaker in California at the time of her death.

Ms. DeHart is survived by her boyfriend, Danny Gatti, of Simi Valley; father, Lee DeHart, of Fort Collins; mother, Eileen Phillips, of San Diego; siblings Ryan DeHart of Evans, Taylor DeHart of Fort Collins, Katie DeHart of Charleston, S.C., Megan (DeHart) Gerlach of Minneapolis and Cameron Phillips of San Diego.

A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, at the Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown Denver.

Memorial donations to help people with eating disorders receive inpatient treatment may be made at http://melissadehartdivamemories.mydagsite.com/the_story.