Source: http://www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com/obituary.aspx?MemberId=86877&MName=Linda%20Mae%20Melton

Linda Mae Melton
12/7/1945 - 3/9/2011

Funeral services for Linda Mae Melton, 65, of Monroe, LA will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, March 15, 2011 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home, 2308 Sterlington Road, Monroe with Rev. Warren Eckhardt officiating.

Linda passed away Wednesday, March 9, 2011. She had returned to Monroe to live after residing in Phoenix, AZ for many years.

Linda was loving, generous and involved in many organizations throughout her life. She sponsored children from overseas to come to the United States to correct facial deformities through the Craniofacial Foundation of Arizona. She organized and participated in marathons for the Arthritis Foundation all over the world. Another one of her passions was raising funds for Muhammad Ali's Fight Night Charity for the Barrow Neurological Institute to bring awareness of Parkinson's disease. For fifteen years, she supplied blankets and numerous items for children whom were taken out of abusive homes and cared for by Crisis Nursery. She founded a battered shelter for women in Monroe, LA in the early 1990's. Linda along with Monica and Terry Goddard helped with raising the funds to revamp an old historical building in downtown Phoenix for The Children's Museum of Phoenix. She was a big supporter of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Organization of Phoenix, AZ.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Philip ``Snake'' Ragland.

Survivors include her daughter DeeDee Melton Biggs, her husband Larry, and their daughter Isabella of Hermosa Beach, CA. Her daughter Julie Rose Frank McDonald, her husband Frank, and their sons Evan Michael and Connor Thomas of Paradise Valley, AZ. She is also survived by her sister, Barbara Sue Bayles of West Monroe, LA, and her brother Donnie Ziegler of Sterlington, LA; numerous nieces, nephews, and friends whom are considered as family.

Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM Monday, March 14, 2011 at Mulhearn Funeral Home on Sterlington Road in Monroe.

The family and loved ones of Linda would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Melanie Massey Physical Therapy in West Monroe.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, Jump Rope for Heart of the American Heart Association, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, American Diabetes Association, Lea Joyner Memorial United Methodist Church or your local Humane Society.

A Celebration of Linda Mae's life will be held in the Cork Room of the Chateau Restaurant Tuesday, March 15, 2011 beginning at 6:00 PM.

Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com.