Melinda Carey Luke, of Bridgewater, Connecticut, passed away on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at Danbury Hospital after a sudden illness. She was 69 years old, a beloved mother and grandmother, an avid reader and writer, and a lifelong animal lover and advocate.

Melinda was born on June 24, 1955, in New York City to Mary Munger Luke, an author, and David Lincoln Luke, Jr., a paper manufacturing executive. She grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and Hamilton Parish, Bermuda. She graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in English and worked in children's publishing for many years, before leaving to raise two daughters on a horse farm in Ridgefield. She sold real estate in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties until her retirement.

Melinda adored Bridgewater, her home since 2013. She loved to read and write, devouring hundreds of books a year, and leaving behind thousands of pages of stories, essays, meditations and profound musings — some scribbled on the back of the heating bill.

She doted on the Burnham Library, as a patron and a volunteer. Melinda was known for her love of animals, always planning a future dog rescue. And she was known for being a mom — to her two daughters, and to their friends, many of whom adopted Melinda as a bonus mom. She fought through countless physical ailments, including cancer and dozens of surgical procedures, but never gave up, always planning for a future that centered around her "baby grands."

Melinda was predeceased by her parents, Mary and David; and her half-siblings Priscilla Vail, John A. Luke Sr., and David L. Luke III. Melinda leaves behind her daughter Sarah, son-in-law Nathan and grandson Oliver, of Bridgewater, Connecticut, and her daughter Jane, son-in-law Matthew and grandson August, of Brooklyn, New York. She also leaves behind her cherished canine companions, Scout and Jem.

A memorial will be held at the Burnham Library in Bridgewater, Connecticut, on March 2, 2025, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or your local library.

To leave an online condolence please visit munsonloveterefuneralhome.com