Melody Bagley

Funeral Service for Melody Bagley, 51, formerly of Marmarth, ND will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at Marmarth Bible Church with Dennis Rice Officiating. Burial at Butte Cemetery in Marmarth with reception to follow at the Community Hall in Marmarth.

Family Receiving Friends will take place 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker.

Melody unexpectedly passed away June 15, 2022 at Billings Clinic, from complications of a leaking heart valve.

Melody was born in Glendive, MT on April 15, 1971 to John and Diane Carroll. She was raised in Marmarth, ND, where she attended elementary school. She then attended Baker High School from 1986 to 1988 but graduated from Rhame High School in 1989. After graduation she moved to Bowman, ND, where she worked a variety of jobs. Most of Melody’s professional career she spent bartending, waitressing and cooking during which she never met a stranger. If you were a customer of Bartender Mel’s you were her friend.

Melody had many loves throughout her life, most notably were her 3 children, her 11 grandchildren and her husband, Robert Bagley. She loved music of all different genres. She always had a knack for reading a room and playing songs that enhanced the mood. She never had an issue with making anyone laugh themselves to tears, whether it was her retelling of a story, her perfectly placed wit, or just the comedic nature in which she lived her life - you were sure to smile when Melody was near. She had a passion for photography. She loved taking pictures everywhere she went, like the background of this obituary, she took many amazing photos, even of just small town Marmarth. Mel always had her camera out, seizing the moment to catch everything she lived and loved in a digital memory, but catching photos of her was nothing short of impossible. 

In Melody’s most recent years of life she became a Grandma and at first, hated it - because she wasn’t old enough. It didn’t take but meeting her grandbabies to truly embrace the joyous life of a grandparent. She married her husband Robert Bagley on November 16, 2019, which gave her even more grandbabies to love and cherish. Melody also had a soft spot for animals, she adored them all. Over the years she had many cats and dogs, an iguana and even pheasants. Her home currently includes her dog, Lucy, her house cat, Arvee, and her outside cat, Rescue. Robert and Melody resided in Hysham, MT where she was bound and determined to add to her collection of pets a calf to raise (but never butcher).

Melody’s humor and love of life will be missed by her husband, Robert Bagley; daughter, Miranda (Dallas) Newell; sons, Ethan Reichenberg and Johnathon Arnson; grandchildren, Renli and Haezli Newell; Robert and Emily Bartz, Kayden and Kyler Bagley, Johnny Bagley and Leya Spang, Sadie, Gordon and Ava Brannon; brothers, Jimmy (Judy) and Lucky Carroll.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Diane Carroll and her father, John Carroll.

In honor of Melody’s love of music the family would like all to dress casually and if you have a “Band” tee please wear it.