Memorial Trees
M
Michele Chaboudy and Eron Flory
April 10, 2025
Memorial trees planted for:
Anne Morrison Melcher
<p>With profound sadness and great sorrow, we share the passing of Anne Morrison Phillips Melcher, 78, of Cynthiana, Kentucky, who left us peacefully on March 21st, 2025, after a brief bout with pancreatic cancer. Anne was born March 6th, 1947, in Portsmouth, Ohio, to the late Elizabeth Roberts Rawson Phillips and Chester Arthur Phillips. She was adored by her Husband of 54 years, retired Judge David Melcher. Their deep passion, respect for one another, and unwavering love taught us how to love each other better. </p><p> Anne always lived her life to the fullest, and she threw herself into her passions, including education and sports. She graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1965, where she excelled in tennis. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Miami University in 1969, after completing her clinicals at The Ohio State University, and began her career as a Medical Technologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Anne and Dave were married October 10th, 1970, in Portsmouth, Ohio, and resided briefly in Cincinnati, Ohio, before relocating to Harrison County in 1973. She enjoyed her work, dedicating more than 30 years to Chandler Hospital’s Clinical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where she made life–long friends whom she considered family. Together, they enjoyed decades of annual Melcherosa parties, group pilgrimages to Keeneland and the Kentucky Derby, Bluegrass 10,000 races, and trips across the Caribbean, where she loved to snorkel, swim, and hike. She infused her love of water in her children, teaching them to swim and waterski in the Ohio River, Dreamland Pool, and her pool, and to body surf in the Atlantic Ocean on family trips to Oak Island, North Carolina. Not only did she love to travel, learn and explore, she encouraged her family and friends to join her in countless trips across North America, the Caribbean, and Europe, including trips to many national parks and to Austria, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Anne also inspired her family and friends with her love of her Golden Retrievers and horses.</p><p> Anne shared her passions Kentucky basketball and Ohio State football with her family, enjoying Wildcats hoops season tickets for years, and relishing the Buckeyes’ 2025 National Championship. An avid, accomplished tennis player, she loved matches at the US Open and at her family’s annual Cincinnati Open outings for nearly 50 years. She loved live music and played guitar until work and children consumed her time. There may have been no greater fan of Bruce Springsteen than Anne, who saw him countless times across Kentucky, Ohio, and New Jersey. She reveled in and savored each long show.</p><p> Anne’s family and friends recall her especially bright smile and infectious laugh, as well as her welcoming kindness, good humor, intelligence, compassion, and generosity. She exuded love, understanding, care, joy, and strength. Her children marveled at her consistent wide smile, good cheer, and grace throughout life’s ups and downs. Her friends appreciated her for being a great listener, and many have thanked her for making them a better parent and person, and making a meaningful difference in their lives. Her nieces credit their Aunt Anne for helping shaped their vision of what a strong, capable, and compassionate woman can be. Her grandchildren revered their Nannie, who passed her wicked sense of humor on to them. Anne nurtured, loved, and championed them fiercely, and she never missed a concert, game, or meet. Her greatest regret was knowing that she would not see them grow up more – a regret we all share.</p><p> Anne served as Secretary for the Board of Directors of Kincaid Regional Theatre, and in various roles on her children’s parent–teacher associations. After retiring, she volunteered for more than 15 years with the Food Pantry of Harrison County, where she made even more special friends.</p><p> In addition to her devoted and cherished Husband, Dave, Anne leaves behind countless friends and family, but is survived most closely by her daughter, Erin Michele Melcher (Matt) Beam, and son, Jesse Phillips (Stephanie) Melcher; grandchildren, Aislinn Elise Beam, Aine Grace Beam, and Evan David Melcher Beam; brothers David (Nicole) Phillips and John (June) Phillips; cousins Bob (Sheila Keady) Rawson, and Mike (Connie de la Vega) Rawson; sisters–in–law and brothers–in–law, Barbara D’Alessandro, Carl (Jan) Melcher, Joan (Joe) McGrade, Bobbie Gabel, Mary Kay (Nick) Motto, and Terri Pirkey; nieces and nephews, Ryan (Melissa) Duffy, Regan (Robin) Fazio, Alex (Amanda) Phillips, John (Jen) D’Alessandro, Mark (Imghard) D’Alessandro, Elizabeth Melcher, Joseph McGrade, Kristin McGrade, Frank McGrade, Brian (Allison) Motto, Nicole (Ashley) Motto, David Gabel, Courtney (Tim) Messer, Ryan (Nika) Gabel, Justin (Jackie) Gabel, Jon (Anika) Pirkey, and Lauren Pirkey; great–nieces and great–nephews, Jared Duffy, Lauren Blair Duffy, Antonio Fazio, Kaden Fazio, Grayson Phillips, Norah Phillips, Luke D’Alessandro, Ben D’Alessandro, Maximo D’Alessandro, Ava McGrade, Joey McGrade, Dima McGrade, Devin McGrade, Simon Gabel, Sarah Gabel, Will Messer, Rylee Messer, Nadia Gabel, Abby Gabel, Eleanor Gabel, Joey Motto, Audrey Motto, Luca Bland Motto, and Nico Bland Motto. Anne also leaves behind a large extended family of very close friends, including Kathy and Mike Baker, Karen and Gunars Brunavs, Jennie (Steve Landers) Buckner, Michele (Eron Flory) Chaboudy, Meg (Ron Lanham) Crellin, Carol and Randy McVey and their children John (Nikki) McVey and Allison McVey, Joanne Peduzzi and Jerry DeLollis, Linda (Wayne Conrad) Rogowski, Carole (Mike) Seibert.</p><p><br></p><p> A Celebration of Life will be held at the Ashford Acres Inn in Cynthiana, Kentucky, on April 5th, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with services commencing at 2:30 p.m. as we toast and remember Anne’s beautiful life. Family and friends are invited to share food, drinks, and music, along with stories and memories of the time we treasured with Anne. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Food Pantry of Harrison County, 304 North Locust Street, Cynthiana, Kentucky 41031, Bluegrass Care Navigators, 1317 US 62, Cynthiana, Kentucky 41031, or Grit & Grace Wildlife Rehabilitation, 2383 Hicks Pike, Cynthiana, Kentucky 41031.</p><p>View and sign the guestbook at www.warefuneralhome.com.</p>March 6, 1947 - March 21, 202503/06/194703/21/2025
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