Caroline Melissa Mason Hoffman, resident of Newport News, died on August 31, 2016. She was 61 years old.

Melissa was a generous person who believed in helping others. During her 36 years in Newport News she helped found and operate a free respite day care program for under-privileged children, a multi-church rotating shelter program for the homeless population, and most recently ShoeLady.org, a Newport News-based charity dedicated providing shoes to school children in need.
For the last 12 years Melissa was a real estate agent and associate broker, most recently working on the Senior Team at Greg Garrett Realty. Earlier in her career she was a freelance writer, portrait painter, and a partner in a floral design business.

Melissa was a graduate of Mary Washington College (BA, Art History) and the College of William and Mary (M.Ed, Museum Education). She is survived by her husband, Bill Hoffman, two daughters, Caroline Taylor and Isabelle Taylor, and two grandchildren, her brothers, Rodney Mason and David Mason, and her first husband and close family friend, Tom Taylor..

A memorial service will be held on September 17, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., at St. Peters Episcopal Church, 8400 St Peters Ln, New Kent, Virginia. A separate reception celebrating Melissa’s life will be held at 6:00-8:00 p.m.the same day, at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, 101 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA. Friends and family are welcome at each event.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to ShoeLady.org. Donations of cash or commitments to provide shoes in the 2016 Christmas shoe drive can be made directly at www.shoelady.org, or by checks payable to ShoeLady.org, PO Box 1054, Newport News, VA.

Condolences to the family may be made at vacremationsociety.com