Melinda Jo Ray is a retired librarian / educator, who now owns and operates a boutique hotel in Granbury, Texas.
As a member of Good Shepherd parish in Granbury since her confirmation 28 years ago, Melinda has worked in a wide variety of ministries at both the parochial and diocesan level. Melinda has served on the vestry of Good Shepherd during 20 of the last 28 years. She has served her parish as an LEM, a Christian Educator, a Confirmation instructor, an altar guild member, a flower guild member, a choir member, handbell choir director, an ECW officer, parish librarian, newsletter and parish publications editor, a member of several search committees and long range planning committees, and has served several terms as the Clerk of the vestry.
Melinda served on the Diocesan Christian Education Committee for several years, and was responsible for the founding, cataloging and setup of the Diocesan Resource Room and Library in the years just prior to the diocesan split. She has served numerous times as a lay delegate to the Diocesan Convention, and as Diocesan Librarian conducted several workshops for churches wishing to start their own resource collections.
Melinda is also active in Granbury community affairs, served as a officer in the Historic Granbury Merchants Association, and was chairman of the Granbury Candlelight Tour of Homes for five years. She has written and published many articles in local magazines on Granbury and Hood County history, and has written and published a novel based on the true stories of some of the early settlers in Hood County.