My mother Melinda W. Vipond, 62, passed away suddenly on Jan. 3, 2017, in Melbourne, Florida. And while she loved the weather in Florida, I am certain she has now found an even better place to call home.
Melinda was born in 1954 in Cortland, N.Y., to Winthrop Ross Wickwire and Ellen Josephine (Denny) Wickwire. She is survived by three sisters (Cynthia, Pamela, and Peggy) and one brother (Winthrop Ross Wickwire II). She attended Stoneleigh Burnham School for Girls and often spoke fondly of the friendships she made while there. After high school, she attended Syracuse University.
Linda (as she is known to friends) was a stunning and caring woman. And those that knew her might tell you she was best known for her bright smile. Her laugh was contagious and is one of the things I will remember most about her. She loved spending the summer at her family’s house on Skaneateles Lake. She loved to ski and was pretty exceptional at it. She introduced me to music, and we would jam out to Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” She loved wearing cowboy boots, and when I was younger she would make me pull them off of her feet. I hated those boots, but they became her trademark. She loved friends and family even when that love wasn’t reciprocated. She never stopped learning and she loved to read. She would always surprise me with how smart and well-read she was. And she loved every single dog she ever met.
My mother would often tell me that having me was the best thing she ever did in life. I think the best thing she ever did was simply being my Mom.
Linda will be missed by friends and family including her nieces and nephews; and especially by me (Winthrop Wickwire Vipond), my wife Carolyn, and her granddaughters Emerson and Wynne, who held their “Grandma” in such high regard.
A celebration of her life will be held in Skaneateles later this spring. Details and arrangements will be provided once finalized.  Donations can be made to the Humane Society of the United States to honor her love of animals.
“There’s nothing that I wouldn’t give for one more time when I can sing for you.” (Tracy Chapman).