Melissa A. Hrinya

Melissa Ann (Coccimiglio) Hrinya, age 59, passed away April 25, 2025, surrounded by her family, after a brief cancer diagnosis.  
 

She was born April 22, 1966, to her parents Richard and Penny Coccimiglio in Jacksonville, Florida. From the moment she was born, she showed how strong and tough she was and could be. 
 

Melissa was always doing something for someone else. Whether it be coaching t-ball for her kids’ teams, coaching softball in the valley, volunteering to be a leader for AWANAS, helping with the Boys Scouts, being on several boards as a board member, or helping veterans in need, among many other things. She was always trying to be involved and help others.  
 

In 1988, and because of her love of sports, Melissa met her future husband, Bill. Her first date, Melissa went to watch Bill coach and brought her mother along—something no one let her forget. People often mentioned that Bill and Melissa were made for each other and that they completed one another because they dealt with each other's quirks without question. They were engaged during Christmas Eve Mass and wed the following year. They recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. Melissa was the love of Bill’s life, as he was hers.

  
Along with being a wife, Melissa was a proud mother. She was never shy about telling her kids what they should be doing or how they should do certain things—even if she didn’t agree with them, she made sure to remind them how much she loved them. They all would tell each other that they loved each other more than pi. Melissa taught her kids many, many things, but the most important thing she taught them was to give back and care about others, no matter their background.  
 

After working at the Post Office as a mail carrier for many years, Melissa decided to go back to school later in life. There she graduated with a 4.0 from DeVry University with a bachelor's degree in database management. She worked for several churches after she graduated, but most recently worked for Church of Our Savior. Melissa was very proud of her husband who also went back to school later in life and was proud to tell people that her entire family had college degrees. 
 

Melissa loved her entire family and was often found at one of their many events, typically with a camera in her hand. If she wasn’t beside her husband at a speaking event, she was on the sidelines either coaching or taking pictures of all the athletes—often, she did both coaching and taking photographs. No matter the sporting event, Melissa was there watching not only her own kids, but nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews, as well.  
 

Melissa enjoyed not only taking photographs of all the events in town but also enjoyed crocheting different things for everyone. She made many crocheted characters for her grandsons, many hats for great nieces and others, and a large blanket for the American Legion Auxiliary. There was no character or pattern that Melissa couldn’t create, with her favorites to date being the many Pokémon and Godzilla characters she made. Her talent did not go unnoticed.  
 

Melissa was also heavily involved with the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary. During her years in the Auxiliary, Melissa held many offices and wore many different hats. Along with her adventures in the Auxiliary, Melissa also helped a veteran in need obtain a working service dog; her goal was to help as many veterans as possible get the service dogs that they needed. While at any Legion or Auxiliary function, Melissa could be found sharing her knowledge of the Auxiliary or just spending time with the men and women that she adored. Her love of her Legion and Auxiliary family also did not go unnoticed.  
 

Melissa was involved with a lot of other things around town, both past and currently, and her presence is going to be missed by many.  
 

Melissa is survived by her husband, Bill, her two children, Jordan (Zachary) Brinkley, and Max Hrinya, father, Richard Coccimiglio, sisters Traci (Scott) Meraglia and Jodi (Todd Gulvas) Coccimiglio, brother Shad (Veronica) Coccimiglio, grandsons Ezekiel and Ezra Brinkley, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.  
 

She is proceeded in death by her mother, Rosemary “Penny” Coccimiglio, maternal grandparents Frank and Helen Hudsick, parental grandparents Anthony and Louise Coccimiglio, several aunts, uncles, and cousins. 
 

Visitation will be on Tuesday, April 29 from 2-4 PM & 6-8 PM at the Shugarts Funeral Home Inc. in Brockway. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday April 30 at 11:00 AM at the Lighthouse Community Church also in Brockway with Rev. Dr. Victor Baxter officiating. Burial will follow in St. Tobias Cemetery.  
 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations can be made to the “We Care Fund” at Brockway Area School District 40 North Street Brockway, PA 15824. 

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