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Thanks to Don Byerly and Carolyn Stokes, I have recently learned that our valued classmate, Melinda Lee Trevorrow of Greensboro has passed away.
Melinda passed away on March 18th, 2026 in St. Thomas Hospital in Fairhope Alabama while in Hospice Care. She was age 81 years old and near her family at the time of her dearth. After graduating with us at RJ Reynolds in 1962, Meliana attended University of North Carolina - Greensboro, graduating in 1966 with a BA degree. Melinda had a number of carreers, but the one she was most proud of was as a planner for the Guilford County Historical Society of Preservation.
Interestingly, Melinda married Bill Trevorrow in Myrtle Beach on October 4th, 2004. Thereafter, in the presence of Bill's English family, they renewed their vows at Worchester Cathedral in Worchester England. (I must say that knowing these two wonderful people, it must have been a nostaligic moment of mutual love, happiness and tears of joy.)
Melinda enjoyed reading, gardening, her Boykins Spaniels, and spending time with family and friends.. She also played in the Christ Moravian Church band for Easter Sunrise Sevice and funeral services. She had over fifty years as a band member and was one of the first female members of the band.
Melinda was predeceased by her parents, Jean Davis Lee and Roland Gilbert Lee and her husband, William "Bill" Trevorrow. She is survived by her sons, Richard "Gib" Cobb (Janelle) and David Cobb (Shannon) ; her grandchildren, Gavin Cobb and Jenna Cobb; her step grandchildren, Tiffany Rangel (Carlos), Tara Trevorrow snd Shay Trevorrow and her stepgrandchildren, Colt Rangel and Mackenna Rangel.
Visitation will be held on Friday, March 27th from 6 pm until 8 pm and Saturday March 28th from 12:30 pm until 1 pm . The funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 28th at 1 pm at Christ Memoria Church at 1919 W. Academy Street, Winston Salem, NC and burial will b on March 28th, 2026 at God's Acre.
-May I add that Melinda was a long-standing member of the RJR62 Reunion Committee. She and her husband, Bill would be at nearly every meeting, both willing and ready to to do whatever it took to prepare for the next reunion. It was our great honor and priviledge to to work with them and get to know them over the many years that they assisted. They left the world a better place than they found it. May the Good Lord bless and keep them and hold them close for all eternity.
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Pam Bain (Davis)
I am so sorry to hear that Melinda has left us and thank her and Bill for being so dedicated to all us in the class of 1962. All of us who are reading this are so fortunate to have lived all these years and thank Danny and others who have keep us informed about our beloved classmates. May Melinda's family be comforted as they cherish her in their memories... Pam
Marilyn Elsie Miller (Morris)
I'm sorry to hear of Melinda's passing. We were roomates at UNC-G for a time, and It was great to get to know her better. It sounds like she had an interesting life.
Dianne Pfefferkorn (Hobbs)
I am surprised to hear of Melinda's passing. She was such a faithful and active member of our reunion committee and I got to know her through those many meetings. It impressed me that she drove over from Greensboro to attend each meeting. She was a sweet and dear person who I am glad I got to know after high school even better than I did when we were in school together. She was a delightful person who led an interesting life and was generous in sharing it with others. She seemed full of vitality and life the last time I saw her and I am sorry to hear of her death. She told me many stories of her times in the Moravian Easter band which used to stop on the corner of Carolina Ave. and Pilot View St. on those early dark mornings. It was a labor of love for her. Melinda will be missed by all of us. She was a gentle and sweet soul.
Robert (Bob) Gibson
I was saddened and surprised to hear of Melinda's passing. I haven't seen her since our 50th class reunion but have talked to her several times since then. She was always so energetic and up-beat. I remember a group of us would go to Hanging Rock Lake and enjoy skiing with Melinda. She was so generous in sharing her boat with us. She and I played in the band and use to share stories of our band trips and of course, Mr. Mayer's band class. She was a true friend to alot of people, including myself. Condolences to her family.....May the Lord lift them up. Bob Gibson
Danny T. Ferguson
THE BIRD WHISPERER
I have just got to memorialize a story about Melinda Trevorrow: Back in preparation for one of our reunions - maybe the 50th or maybe the 55th or even maybe the 60th, the reunion committee was meeting at Tom and Anita Ogburn's house on Buena Vista. That evening we were all sitting on the covered veranda - which, I think in Ardmore would be called the back porch. It was a beautiful view of trees, gardens etc and a very pleasant place to hang out with friends. As we were reminiscing, I asked, "Does anyone know what ever happened to Pam Byrd? We used to be buddies in school."
Now, believe it or not, what I am going to say is the absoloute truth. If you don't believe me ask Anita. No one responded to my inquiry about Pam Byrd - until, suddenly, out of the blue, a beautiful bird, a dove I think, flew onto the veranda and lited nearby. I think I made a smart alec comment, saying, "here she is, its Pam Byrd." Everyone laughed until Pam the Bird flew through the open kitchen doorway. So now, we had a loose
goose, I mean a loose bird in the house. With a sigh, Tom bravely entered the house but the bird had lited on a cabinet. I, along with maybe Phil Wooten followed Tom inside and we all saw the bird perched on the cabinet. The bird had sort of a smirk on her face - maybe Pam was mocking us. But the brave men were reluctant to take on this wild and ferrocious creature. No one was willing to make a move to capture this intruder. Maybe we had been traumatized by Alfred Hitchcock's movie, "The Birds."That is until Melinda Trevorrow stepped up, exuding great confidence. She approached the little dove like a lady on a mission. Gently, she reached up and picked the bird up, craddled it in her arms like a mother cradling her baby, then carried Pam Byrd outdoors and set her free.
Us brave macho men were chagrinned and faced ridicule by our peers. Someone called us chicken hearted - while Melinda was praised as brave, courageous, and bold. We named her the BIRD WHISPERER!
We laughed about this story for many years, and I'm stilll not convinced that it wasn't really Pam Byrd. Suffice it to say that Melinda was a great lady and I truly believe she is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior in Heaven.
Respectfully submitted,
Danny Ferguson