Melinda Ely Credit: Courtesy Melinda Ely, 70, of Madisonville, Ky., passed away on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at her residence. Melinda was born on January 9, 1956, in Burlington, Vt., to the late Paul Machia and Marlene Cota Densmore. Mrs. Ely worked at Brighton Cornerstone Healthcare, w here she was famous for loving the patients. She took joy in every activity they held for the residents and would often surprise them by wearing crazy outfits. Melinda was an “adventurer.” She loved wandering with her family, often not knowing the destination beforehand. She had a love for gardening and anything involving butterflies. She is survived by her husband of over 30 years, Joe Ely; daughter, Amy (Jeremiah) Jeffers of Newburgh, Ind.; sons, Matthew (Sarah) Moultroup of Richmond, Vt., and Adam Moultroup of West Chazy, N.Y.; brothers, Jeff Machia, Bill Machia and Rodney Hyden; and grandchildren, Abby Weston, Robby Weston, Iris Moultroup, Ethan Moultroup, Ginny Moultroup and Hank Moultroup. Services for the family are provided by Barnett-Strother Funeral Home and Crematory in Madisonville. All are welcome to join at the Community Church of Huntington Annex in Huntington, Vt. A live stream of the service in memory of Melinda Ely will be on February 14, 2026, 2 p.m. There will be refreshments. The post Obituary: Melinda Ely, 1956-2026 appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less