Melissa Anne Peabody, 62, passed away peacefully in her San Francisco home on August 10, 2020.

She is survived by her husband, Christopher Wasney; her twin sons, Michael and James Wasney; and her three siblings Bill, Betsy, and Andy Peabody. Her passing is deeply mourned by them, and by a worldwide network of friends bound together by their unwavering adoration for her. The sentiment shared by one such friend, and felt by everyone that knew her, was: “I cannot imagine waking up to a world without Missy Peabody.”

Missy was born March 2, 1958 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to William Wirt Peabody and Ellen Karen Peabody. She and her family moved to Australia in 1965, where they lived in Brisbane and Sydney. The family returned to the United States in 1967, moving to Evergreen, Colorado. Missy spent the rest of her childhood years in Evergreen before going to Stanford University. She graduated from Stanford in 1981 with a bachelor’s in Comparative Literature, and from Columbia University in 1986 with a master’s in Journalism. During college, she met Chris, with whom she would fall in love and be with for the rest of her life. Missy and Chris married in 1988. In 1995, she bore their twin sons, Michael and James.

Even as a small child, Missy is remembered as being fiercely independent and joyfully curious. These qualities, besides propelling her through a fascinating life, made her the gifted storyteller that she was. Telling stories was her art, her calling—a pursuit that defined all of her endeavors in one way or another. Starting in college, she played in a number of rock bands, astounding everyone with her voice. For Chris, hearing her sing was like “being struck by lightning.” Her love with Chris was illuminating for her as well: the second song she ever wrote was about him. After college, Missy traveled through the Perestroika-era Soviet Union for her job at an industrial trade publication, and then worked as a journalist and editor on news programs and documentaries. Later in life, she founded her own film production company, Living World Films, and singlehandedly directed and produced San Francisco—Still Wild At Heart, an award-winning documentary film that explored the subject of urban wildlife. Her expanding interests—including urban wildlife, but also holistic practices, healthy eating, meditation, mysticism, and life beyond Earth—fulfilled and captivated her until the end of her days. Missy was someone who found the magic in everything. With her passing, the world has lost a little bit of its magic.

She will live on vividly in the hearts of everyone who knew her.