Melinda Holder

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(July 13, 1951 ~ December 28, 2018)

Melinda Holder, 67, passed suddenly, but peacefully on Friday, December 28, 2018 in Austin, from a stroke.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 PM Saturday, January 5, 2019 at Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at East Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 11:00 AM until Noon on Saturday.
She was an incredible cook with specialties of home styled soul food, and a native landscaper who maintained a backyard habitat with box turtle sanctuary, and a lifelong dog owner who spent her entire life fostering various pets. She enjoyed the live music, cultural aspects, and environmental awareness that Austin had to offer.
She was an only child to Dorothy and Horace Holder of Stephenville. Horace had settled in Stephenville as an Automobile Salesman after returning from Military Service, and Dorothy was a homemaker that fostered Melinda’s interests in dress and cooking.
Melinda worked various jobs including a Nurse’s Aide before her hire at the Local Nuclear Power Plant – Comanche Peak. She started with basics, but learned to weld after hours that enabled her to advance to Welding Inspector and then to Quality Control Inspector. 
Colleagues nicknamed her Tuffy due to her stern attitude and small stature. When the Plant came online, Melinda left to attend Tarleton State University earning a B.A.A.S. degree in Industrial Occupations in 1993, and then worked as an AutoCAD Drafter at Perry Equipment Corporation in Mineral Wells.
She met Tarleton Alumnus Gary Franklin through their common interest in cars, crafts, food, and music. They were married at St. Brendan’s Church in Stephenville in May 1999 and made their home in Austin Texas where Gary worked as a Water Quality Scientist and was active with Environmental Conservation efforts.
Melinda is survived by her husband Gary and her loving Australian Shepherd Chanel.

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