Obituary: Melanie Squirrell, 1980-2020 

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• Courtesy Photo
• Melanie Squirrell

Melanie was tragically taken from us on July 25, 2020, due to an automobile accident. She was born on October 20, 1980, in Ogdensburg, N.Y., and moved with her family to Colchester, Vt., in 1987, where she attended Colchester schools followed by Mount Mansfield Union High School.

Melanie was very proud to have played soccer for the Nordic Soccer Club for many years and on Mount Mansfield High School teams, and she also instilled her passionate love for the game in her sons.

Beginning at a young age, Mel was a dedicated animal lover, bringing home one stray critter after another, and as an adult she was always a dog and cat owner. Her love of animals led to her chosen career path as a veterinary technician working at the Animal Hospital of Hinesburg for 12 years. She always had a dream of one day having her own business where she could care for the menagerie of animals she loved.

Mel loved to garden and bake, and family holidays were filled with her delicious creations. Above all, she loved her two boys more than anything. She was a loving, gregarious, determined woman and generous beyond measure. She was quick to laugh, with a playful spirit and a love of life, and it is hard for us to fathom our lives going on without her. Melanie saw the good in everyone and always put others first, and now everyone who knew and loved her has a huge hole in their hearts.

She is survived by her sons, Robert (“RJ”) and Caleb Stratton, and their father, Robert Stratton, of Jericho; her mother, Ellen Pritting, and wife Suzanne Stewart of Underhill; her father, Trevor Squirrell, and wife Linda Almy of Underhill; her sister Sarah Squirrell and husband Chris Piatek and their children Sabin and Charlotte Piatek and Hannah Corrigan of Waterbury; her brother Kristopher Squirrell of Burlington; and her brother Ian Squirrell and wife Jennifer and their children Vaera Squirrell and Cade Goodspeed of South Burlington. She is also survived by Linda’s children, Sarah Moore and husband Gus of Colorado; Christopher Almy and wife Jessica of Colorado; and Benjamin Almy and fiancée Chelsea Bissell of Washington, D.C.; as well as her maternal aunt Rebecca Anderson and partner John Jones of South Carolina and cousin Jacob Anderson of New York; maternal uncle Phillip Pritting and wife Brandi and cousins Mikella and Phillip of California; paternal aunt Jennifer Maxfield and husband Dennis and cousins Justin Maxfield and wife Karen, and Kristen Maxfield of New York; paternal uncle Steve Squirrell and wife Cheryl of New York; paternal aunt Valerie Pille of New York and cousins Nichole Cafarelli and husband Lou of New York and Stephen Pille of Utah; and paternal aunt Elizabeth Hartley and husband Brent and cousin Christopher Hartley and fiancée Sara Bonke of New York. She also leaves many, many friends and her adored black lab, Kolby, who now lives with her sons.

Donations in Melanie’s name may be made to the Humane Society of Chittenden County, 142 Kindness Ct., South Burlington VT 05403.

A private service for family members was held in Underhill, with arrangements through Stephen C. Gregory Cremation Service of South Burlington.