Melinda McCormick Woodard, 62, of Collierville, Tenn., died peacefully on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. She leaves behind her husband of nearly 40 years, Scot Woodard, daughters Nealy Woodard and Mallory Fulgham (Steven), beloved grandchildren Lila Kay Fulgham and Thomas Alan Fulgham, all of Collierville, her mother Ruth McCormick of Collierville, sisters Patti Anderson of Collierville and Amy Dawson of Alpharetta, Ga., and brother Gerald D. McCormick Jr. (Kim) of Nashville. She also leaves her brothers-in-law Thad Woodard (Linda) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Dow Woodard (Kim) of Santa Clarita, Calif., and nieces and nephews who loved her so very much: Lindsey Woodard (Todd), Leigh Ann Woodard (Andy Dallman), Meredith Mesquita (J.T.), Lora Malone (Zane), Sarah Anderson, Cooper McCormick, Madeline Woodard, D.J. Woodard, Michael Anderson, Scottie Tudor (Graham), Callie Dawson, Hadley Dawson, grand-nieces Hattie Mae Dallman, Margot Betts, Caroline & Charlotte Malone, Wren Mesquita, and more aunts, uncles and cousins than can be tallied — but she loved each and every one. She’s predeceased by her father, Gerald McCormick Sr., grandparents Daphene and John McWilliams, Mary Murchison and Carl McCormick.
Born on May 17, 1960, Melinda graduated from Germantown High School in 1978, where she participated in a variety of clubs and organizations but was most proud of being voted “Most Mischievous” of her graduating class — and living up to the title every day for the next 40-plus years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and received a master’s degree in education from the University of Memphis, teaching for several years in Memphis City Schools before moving to Collierville Elementary School then Tara Oaks Elementary. After retiring from Shelby County Schools with 30 years of service, she continued to impact students in Tennessee through the Tennessee Board of Regents SAILS program and tutoring students from her own home.
She made friends everywhere she went with her love, loyalty, and joy for life. Everyone who knew her described her as fun, kind, and funny. She blessed so many lives throughout her too-few years on earth, and stayed busy with supper clubs, multiple book clubs, traveling with her Bunco girls and extended family, and hosting huge family gatherings for holidays, birthdays, life events, and everything in between. She could always be counted on to host a bridal or baby shower and RSVP’d yes to every invitation she received — which was many — and never missed a graduation or special event for family and friends alike. But her very favorite way to pass time was spending every minute she could with her grandkids Lila and Thomas — she loved them beyond measure, and our goal in life is to make sure they know just how much she adored them, each and every day for the rest of their lives.
Melinda was a long-time member of Collierville United Methodist Church (CUMC) where she volunteered in a number of positions over the years and was a member of the Cornerstone Sunday School class for more than 30 years. Her service will be held at the CUMC Sanctuary on the Square on Tuesday, Dec. 13 — visitation at 3 p.m. and funeral at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to My Town Miracles at mytownmiracles.org/donate.
