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Melinda Estelle Brown Golden (née Ransome) was born Jan. 16, 1958, in Harlem, New York, and was called home Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, at Banner Thunderbird Hospital, in Glendale, Arizona, surrounded by loved ones.

She was preceded by her parents, Scotty Henderson Ransome of Jackson, North Carolina, and Lillie Mae Ward Campbell of Rocky Mount, North Carolina; grandparents, Geneva Plummer Mitchell (Ed) of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Estelle Grant Ransome Grant Hall of Suffolk, Wiley Ransome of Jackson, and step-grandfather, George Hall of Suffolk; sisters, Jacqueline and Hortense Brown; aunts, Gracie Ransome Bernard (Cecil) of Suffolk and Callie Ransome Goode (William) of New York.

She is survived by her daughters, Alexxus Keturah Golden and Miaka Kenyatta Golden, both of Phoenix; two sisters and three brothers and several family members and friends. 

A visitation with the family is at noon followed by a celebration of life at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4 at Crocker Funeral Home. She is being laid to rest in Carver Memorial Cemetery. Professional services with dignity have been entrusted to Crocker Funeral Home Inc.