Service today for Melba Ruth Price Loftis

Melba Ruth Price Loftis was born on August 21, 1935 in Wetumka, Oklahoma, to Ernest and Beatrice (Brooks) Price, and passed from this life to her heavenly reward on November 2, 2022. She grew up on a farm south of Wetumka. As a farm girl, she had regular chores to do, including milking the family’s cows every morning and evening, every single day. When Melba was eight, her only sibling, Mildred, was born. Around the age of ten, Melba gave her heart to Jesus, and lived for him the rest of her life. At age thirteen, she started sitting next to a boy named Robert at church. He would be the only boy she ever dated. In high school, Melba was active in school plays, editor of the yearbook, and a class officer. She graduated as Valedictorian of her class at Moss School in 1953. Following graduation, she took some business classes in Oklahoma City. On September 10, 1953, three weeks after her 18th birthday, she married her one-and-only boyfriend, Robert Loftis, at her parents’ home.

Robert was in the army, and came home on leave to get married. Following their honeymoon, Robert returned overseas to complete his military service in Korea. In June 1954, Melba gave birth to their daughter Barbara.

In 1955 upon the completion of Robert’s military service, they moved to Tulsa, where daughter Roberta joined the family in 1957. While in Tulsa, Melba worked for a time as a proof-reader for the Oral Roberts Evangelistic As- sociation. In 1963, Robert fulfilled a promise to Melba to move them “back home”, and they purchased the Western Auto store in Holdenville. They worked side-by-side for 32 years, where Melba not only waited on customers, but also served as the bookkeeper for their business. In 1974, Melba and Robert surprised EVERYBODY by having another baby, their third daughter, Joy. Melba never gave birth to any sons, but family member, Mark Sum- my, stepped in and has fulfilled that role admirably for over fifty years. In October of 1995, they retired and sold their business, with plans to pursue their hobbies and do extensive travelling. Those plans were short-lived when Robert passed away in December 1996, leaving Melba a widow at the age of 61. In June of 2008, Melba purchased a home in Tulsa, right across the street from Joy, so she could watch her youngest grandchildren grow up.

While living in Tulsa, she became an active member of Redeemer Church, participated in the Ladies’ Red Hat Society, and was a member of her church’s Solo Sisters.

She met Leonard Barnes, who provided her with a dec- ade of fine companionship and enjoyable outings, until their declining health forced them to curtail their relationship. Melba moved to Covenant Living, Bixby, in November of 2018, where she resided until this past summer, when she once again wanted to “move home”. At the time of her death, she was a resident of the Heritage Village Retirement Center in Holdenville.

Melba and Robert were always truly committed to their church. They were joint leaders of the youth group, and Melba also served as the church pianist and a Sunday school teacher, in addition to frequently hosting visiting evangelists and missionaries in their home. Early on, they formed the habit of having nightly family devotions in their home, and also emphasized supporting missionaries around the world. Melba also set the example of practicing benevolence in her hometown. She would often send her girls to deliver a casserole, soup, or dessert to someone who was ill, or to a bereaved family. Melba was a voracious reader, with most of the volumes in her extensive library dealing with living a deeper Christian life. She would always date the books as she read them, and some had been read five or six times. Melba was also an avid tennis player, playing until almost her 80th year. She and Robert went on many tennis vacations with their dear friends Ernest and Mildred Moore and Jerry and Dene Henderson. While living in Holdenville, she was a member of the Rose garden club, Red Hatters, and the Alpha Mother’s Club. She also enjoyed playing dominoes and other table games, fish ing, going out to eat, shopping, but most of all, spending time with her family at her cabin on the family’s lake. Melba was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert. She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Barbara and Pat Fowler of Edmond, Roberta and Jay Jeffrey of Holdenville, and Joy and Matt Niles of Tulsa; four grandsons, Jeremy (Rebecca) Fowler, Jason (Chrissy) Jeffrey, Jake and Andy Niles; four granddaughters, Melissa (Lucas) Felt, Beth (Brian) Bounds, Brenda (Michael) Schiesel, and Stella Niles, and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Mildred and Dale Proctor, Wetumka, and two nieces, Nancy((Yates) Adcock and Dianna (Reed) Voigt, as well as a host of other relatives and friends.

Viewing will be 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 8 and 9:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m., Wed. November 9 at Hudson Phillips Funeral Home.

Family and friends gathering will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 9, at Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home.

A celebration of life service will be held at the Texas Banner Church of God, 3075 Highway 75, Wetumka, OK, on Thursday, November 10 at 10 AM with Joe Lunsford and Lynn Higgins officiating.

Interment will follow at the Holdenville cemetery.

Grandsons and grandsons-in-law will serve as pallbearers.

Services are under the direction of Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home in Holdenville, Oklahoma.