Melanie Grace Musgrave Elliott passed away at Val Verde Regional Medical Center, surrounded by family, on June 21, after a brief but very brave battle with cancer. She was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 15, 1961, to Joseph Lafayette Musgrave and Patricia Anne Devine Musgrave, who preceded her in death.

Melanie spent most of her childhood in Alpine and Terlingua Ranch, Texas. She graduated from Sul Ross State University with a teaching degree in 1997 and spent almost 30 years teaching high school English in Ft Davis, Ft Worth, Dell City, North Richland Hills, and Grand Prairie, eventually retiring in 2022 from the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated School District.

She loved every one of her students and spoke of them often, and was a comfort and inspiration to many of them.

Melanie was a free spirit who loved life and never met a stranger. She adored music, dancing, and people, but also loved the solitude of Terlingua Ranch, where she could swim in the tank, listen to the birds sing, and gaze at the stars at night. She enjoyed reading fantasy stories about dragons and faeries and wrote and told her own stories and poems. She devoted the last few years of her life to her beloved grandchildren. She will be forever missed by her family.

Survivors include her husband Charles Elliott of Del Rio; one daughter, Kathryn (James) Moore of Del Rio; three grandchildren Lyric, Mason and Kenzi of Needville; her siblings Wadene Musgrave of Nassau, Bahamas; Mary Musgrave of Del Rio; Colleen (Bill) Coleman of Del Rio; and Joseph (Tracey) Musgrave of Afton, Tennessee; numerous nephews and nieces and many cousins; and very special friend Charles Hooker of Camden, Arkansas.

A Celebration of Life for Melanie will be held at 3 p.m. on July 26 at Lorena’s Venue in Del Rio; all friends of Melanie are welcome to come share stories and songs in remembrance and celebration of a person who gave so much happiness and knowledge to others.