The Mid-Hudson Bridge was illuminated in purple Sunday evening in memory of Melinda “Mindy” Brugger, 54, who was killed Aug. 21 in a murder-suicide involving her husband, James Brugger.

Purple is recognized as a symbol of domestic violence awareness.

The lighting was part of an effort to honor Brugger’s life and draw attention to the issue of domestic vio-lence. Friend Brittany Perry, who is planning a “Light Up the Walkway” event in Brugger’s memory, said she hopes the tribute will focus on Brugger’s life rather than solely on the circumstances of her death.

“I really want this to feel less like a sad memorial and more like a beautiful reminder that domestic vio-lence should never be ignored,” Perry said. “Mindy deserves to be remembered for the life she lived, the people she loved and the light she brought to others. I think we can turn that light into something really powerful.”

According to Brugger’s obituary, she was born in Newburgh and graduated from Wallkill High School in 1990. She served as a volunteer emergency medical technician and firefighter with the Plattekill and Milton fire departments.

Brugger built her career in emergency management and worked for 21 years at Phelps Memorial Hospi-tal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she moved to St. John’s Riverside Hospital.

Most recently, she served as the systems director of safety and emergency management at Westchester Medical Center, where her family said she took great pride in her work and looked forward to continuing to advance her career.

While working full time and volunteering, Brugger also was an active mother and grandmother. She earned a bachelor’s degree while working and was pursuing a master’s degree at the time of her death.

Her death has deeply affected her family, friends, loved ones and members of the first-responder commu-nity, according to her obituary.

Brugger was remembered as tenacious, outspoken and driven, with a fierce love for the people in her life. Her smile and laugh were described as infectious, while her quick wit, sarcasm and ability to use humor during difficult times were among the qualities her loved ones cherished.

Perry said the planned tribute is intended to celebrate those qualities while also reminding the community of the importance of recognizing and addressing domestic violence.