Thinking of you on your birthday, wishing we could catch up. Maybe we can, somehow?
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2025, Cocoa Beach, FL, USA
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2000, Chipita Park, CO, USA
Pikes Peak teapot - our favorite piece
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Our sincere condolences go to Bill, Anna, Todd and their families. It’s hard to believe that Melinda is gone. She was a force to be reckoned with, always with a project in mind and the ideas and energy to execute it. Marc knew Melinda and Bill back in the Manitou days. I was immediately welcomed with open arms in the late 90’s. I was struggling to find a new career, and when I followed the pull of craft, Melinda was always encouraging and helpful. Her best advice to me, when I was foundering and in need of new ideas, was that I go into the studio and just sit with the materials for a while. It worked. We made a piece together for Commonwheel and she commented on my “prodigious use of hot glue.” I don’t know how it was accepted into the show.
We never understood why Melinda and Bill left Colorado, where they had so many friends, but I think Melinda just couldn’t stay in one place too long. We were lucky to visit them in 2007 in Oregon, shortly after the death of my father. Melinda was comforting and compassionate. We saw them twice in Vermont and the second time didn’t heed her warning to park on the main road; we had to get towed out of their muddy driveway. Wherever they went, they made their homes pretty and inviting and made their guests feel welcome and comfortable.
Soon we’ll post photos of the few pieces of Melinda’s jewelry and pottery that we are fortunate to own.
Karen Pierce and Marc Jenesel
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I miss Melinda every day.
Does anybody know what she died of?
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Sorry to hear of Melinda's passing. Would love to see some photos of her jewelry.
Mike Caldwell
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Today, Thanksgiving, seems like an appropriate day to write about Melinda. I am very thankful for our friendship. Melinda was one of the first people I met when I arrived in Eugene. We were both jewelers. Melinda had such an amazing spirit and seemingly endless energy. I loved the time that we shared and the stories about her many projects. Melinda shared her many gifts with so many of us. She will be missed.
Sending my thoughts and love to Bill and Melinda's family.
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I only got to see my grandmother a couple times a year, but I was always so excited to visit her and Bill and their lovely home in Vermont. As a kid she always reminded me of a whimsical artistic fairy living in a tree shrouded, cat filled bungalow- and she still does. I’ll always remember her through all of her wonderful creations and appreciate the artistic knowledge and inspiration she has given me. We love you Gemma Linda.
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My heartfelt condolences to Melinda's family and loved ones. Melinda was a lovely person. Her infallible good manners were a lesson to me, but it was her irreverent attitudes & restless, adventurous spirit that I admired. I'll miss her.
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My condolences to Bill, Anna, and Melinda's family. Bill and Melinda would sometimes babysit me when I was little and I remember she made me delicious caramelized carrots and shared the movie The Last Unicorn with me, which I loved and watched multiple times at their house in Ohio. I would run around and around with a cat toy as their cat(s) would chase me! Lucky for me, my mom and I adopted their cat Babe, we loved her so...
I remember her little pottery studio by the ducks, and watching her cover people's faces with plaster, little straws sticking out of their nose. She offered to do it to me, but I was too scared! :) I still have many of her creations, including a mug with my name on it and a jar with "Magic" on it filled with buttons. Now my kids love it as much as me!
When I was a little older, visiting them in Colorado, Bill & Melinda taught me how to make jewelry, my first time soldering was with them. It was such an empowering experience. I think their influence as artists emboldened me to follow my dream to become one.
I'm grateful for their presence in my life and miss them. I'll treasure their creations that I still have. Sending love and light to Melinda and her family...
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1981, Manitou Springs, CO, USA
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I met Melinda in September of 1971 in sunny San Rafael CA. Both of us were pregnant with our second child (I with Corie, Melinda with Todd) and Melinda and her husband Bill Murchison had arrived to look over 1111 Canal Street, the apartment for rent by my husband Paul and me. Immediately upon walking into the apartment, Melinda began telling Bill, "Well, we could paint the place a brighter color and maybe open the space above the kitchen counter . . . " Then she turned to me to ask, "How many bedrooms? " Immediately I liked this woman I'd never seen before, she seemed a force of nature. She certainly was, as time would tell and our lifelong friendship began. Rest in Peace beloved Melinda.
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Melinda and Alice, summer 2011
In response to "What made Melinda different from most people you know?"
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