Melody “Dee Dee” Kay Hedin Blevins was born in 1956 to Donna and Leslie Hedin, and she was raised in Bloomington, Minnesota. She passed away on January 30th, 2026, in Durango, Colorado at the age of 69. She was the eldest of three, including her brothers, Brice and Arin Hedin. Melody always loved art and was introduced to drawing at an early age. She married Mark Blevins in 1976 and they moved to Alaska. She attended the University of Alaska to further her studies in illustration and also was skilled drawing, pencil, ink, leather work, wood carving, and burning. She raised two sons, Tony and Brandon Blevins, in Alaska. She was surrounded there by a large family and following her separation from her husband she relocated to Colorado where she continued to pursue her passion for art and found a new love for jewelry making in 1999.

Settling in Ignacio, she quickly became a pillar of the community, notably as founding member of the Dancing Spirit Community Arts Center. She also channeled her entrepreneurial spirit by opening a blacksmith shop and running a floral shop. She married her soul mate, Kasey Correia, in 2013 and they settled in their ranch in Ignacio.

Melody was born with a deep-seated love for crystals, minerals, stones, and metals, and incorporated them into the jewelry she made. She put energy and love into her art and everything around her. Melody was a pillar of the community, and her door was always open.

Melody frequently spoke about her life, and her sons meant the world to her. All she wanted was heartfelt time with her family. She is survived by her wife, Kasey, her brothers, her sons, their wives, whom she always referred to as her daughters, her grandchildren, and her only great granddaughter.

Melody was an amazing soul, a rock, a guide, an example of generosity, and a source of unconditional love. She was warm, filled with grace, yet she had a stubborn and strong side that presented when necessary. She leaves a legacy in the small community of Ignacio, and she will be remembered for her quiet strength. She was preceded in death by her parents, Donna and Leslie Hedin. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 21st at 10am at the Dancing Spirit Community Arts Center in Ignacio.

Donations can be made in Melody's name made to Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts. They can be made online at https://dscac.org/in-loving-memory as she was one of the founding members.