Melba Jo Burnham

Melba Jo Decker Burnham, was born on March 31, 1929, to Willie Ray and Beulah Mae (McWilliams) Decker in Plainview, TX. Melba died on December 17, 2016 at the age of 87. Melba was first of all a child of the King and a devoted worker in His vineyard, sowing seeds, which will be richly rewarded in Heaven. All who knew her knew that Melba prayed for them and interceded for them daily. She was a faithful friend to many. Visitation: Thursday, December 22nd from 1 to 8 pm with family present between 6 and 8 pm, at Smith Family Mortuary, 1415 N. Rock Rd., Derby, KS 67037. Funeral: 1 pm, Friday, December 23rd at Rose Hill Bible Church, 1410 N Main St, Rose Hill, KS 67133. Interment to follow at Rose Hill Friends Cemetery. Melba is survived by her daughters, Patricia Brown and her husband, Charles and Nancy Carol Yates and her ex-husband, Ralph Dirk Yates, Sr., Melba loved her grandchildren: Rae Michelle, Lisa Gail and husband, Jerry Thompson, Jr., Rebecca Jo and husband, John Thompson, ralph Dirk, Jr., Jens David and wife, Burcu Aslan, and Linda Marie. Melba also loved her great-grandchildren: Samantha, Blake, and Ralph Dirk Yates, III. Also, she is survived by 1 biological brother, Ural Decker and his wife, Fancheon, and their extended family. She is also survived by the family she chose to join by marriage and, in later years, by choosing to live in Rose Hill: her best friend for almost eighty years, sister-in-law, Marie Farmer, brother-in-law, Ralph Burnham; brother-in-law, Paul Burnham and his wife, Oreta; sister-in-law, Judy Burnham, sister-in-law, Orpha Eyres and her husband, Ron; and sister-in-law, JoAnn Burnham. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and other extended family as well as friends from Kansas City, MO, St. Joseph, MO, and around the world. She was preceded in death by the love of her life to whom she was married for 62 and a half years, John; her son, Mark; sister-in-law, Loleta; brother-in-law, David; and brother-in-law, Clarence Farmer. The family would like to express our thanks to Melba’s caregivers at Carriage House Assisted Living Center for almost five years of care and to the staff of Fountainview Nursing Home for these last six months of stressful and intensive care. Special thanks to Paul and Oreta who took on the enormous responsibility of being her designated care provider for these last five plus years. Their daily service to Melba was Christ-honoring and humbly appreciated. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Melba’s memory to Rose Hill Bible Church, your local church, Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse, or to another opportunity for service to our Lord.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

1:00 PM - 8:00 PM

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Friday, December 23, 2016

1:00 PM

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