Melba Easterday, 101, of Culver, Indiana, passed away on July 11, 2022, at Miller's Merry Manor in Culver. Melba was born March 21, 1921, at home in Ora, Indiana, to Floyd and Lucille White. She was the oldest of 6 children. In the late 1920's, when the depression hit, Melba worked as a nanny for the Newman family cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children, in return for room and board. There she met Lovina Newman Wesson and they became lifelong friends. Her family regularly attended Zion Church on the Newman property and later became charter members of Grace United Church of Christ in Culver.
During the depression, the family mainly survived on produce and meats produced on their homestead, together with in-kind payments of food for their work outside of the home. Melba attended Forest School and Aubbeenaubee School in Leiters Ford. The family moved to Culver when she was 16 and there she experienced electricity and indoor plumbing for the first time.
One day in high school, a red-headed boy from across the street named Edward carried her books home from school and the rest was history. Melba and Ed both graduated from Culver High School and she began working, first at a clothing factory in Knox and then for Russell Easterday in his construction business as a bookkeeper. She worked at Kingsbury Ordinance Facility, where Easterday Construction was building barracks for the servicemen. Ed was drafted into the Army when World War II broke out [he was inducted into the service on 17 June 1942 in Indianapolis] and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1941. They returned to Culver after his discharge, where he rejoined the construction company with his two brothers for the next 40 years. Melba was active in the business, routinely running parts to the job site.
Melba was very active in her church, serving on local and district church committees, teaching Sunday School, and serving as President of the Women's Guild. An excellent cook, she enjoyed donating time and food to church meals, bake sales, and funeral dinners. She supported Church World Service and routinely volunteered at their service activities. The family joked that she could do anything well in church, except sing. She was an excellent mother to her three sons, assisting in their activities with the Culver Boy Scout Troop and outfitting the troop for camp outs, canoe trips, and other overnight activities. She served as a Cub Scout Den Mother for years and assisted the Webelos scouting group.
She was involved in the community schools where she was President of the PTA several times and active as a volunteer with the band and Little League. An active member of the Marshall County Hospital Auxiliary, she enjoyed sewing, making bandages, blankets, and dolls for the patients.
In her later years, she attended Culver City Club meetings and enjoyed their social interactions. She was also a member of Rainbow and the Order of Eastern Star, which she attended regularly into her 90's recently receiving a 75-year membership award.
Melba spent her entire life in service to others her husband, three sons, local clubs, churches and organizations. She did so in a quiet but determined manner, seeing a need and striving to make life better for others.
Melba is survived by her sons, Thomas Easterday and wife Suzy of Yukon, OK, James Easterday of Plymouth; daughter, Kaley Easterday-Zimmerer and husband John of Logansport; grandchildren, Michele Vogel, Michael Easterday, Melanie Walton, Kaley Zimmerer, Jennifer Berju, Heather Easterday, and Sarah Kenny and eighteen great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ed, and son, Marty.
A time of visitation will be held at Grace United Church of Christ, Culver, Indiana, on Monday, July 18, 2022, from 9:30 - 11:00 AM followed by funeral services at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Culver Masonic Cemetery.
During the depression, the family mainly survived on produce and meats produced on their homestead, together with in-kind payments of food for their work outside of the home. Melba attended Forest School and Aubbeenaubee School in Leiters Ford. The family moved to Culver when she was 16 and there she experienced electricity and indoor plumbing for the first time.
One day in high school, a red-headed boy from across the street named Edward carried her books home from school and the rest was history. Melba and Ed both graduated from Culver High School and she began working, first at a clothing factory in Knox and then for Russell Easterday in his construction business as a bookkeeper. She worked at Kingsbury Ordinance Facility, where Easterday Construction was building barracks for the servicemen. Ed was drafted into the Army when World War II broke out [he was inducted into the service on 17 June 1942 in Indianapolis] and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1941. They returned to Culver after his discharge, where he rejoined the construction company with his two brothers for the next 40 years. Melba was active in the business, routinely running parts to the job site.
Melba was very active in her church, serving on local and district church committees, teaching Sunday School, and serving as President of the Women's Guild. An excellent cook, she enjoyed donating time and food to church meals, bake sales, and funeral dinners. She supported Church World Service and routinely volunteered at their service activities. The family joked that she could do anything well in church, except sing. She was an excellent mother to her three sons, assisting in their activities with the Culver Boy Scout Troop and outfitting the troop for camp outs, canoe trips, and other overnight activities. She served as a Cub Scout Den Mother for years and assisted the Webelos scouting group.
She was involved in the community schools where she was President of the PTA several times and active as a volunteer with the band and Little League. An active member of the Marshall County Hospital Auxiliary, she enjoyed sewing, making bandages, blankets, and dolls for the patients.
In her later years, she attended Culver City Club meetings and enjoyed their social interactions. She was also a member of Rainbow and the Order of Eastern Star, which she attended regularly into her 90's recently receiving a 75-year membership award.
Melba spent her entire life in service to others her husband, three sons, local clubs, churches and organizations. She did so in a quiet but determined manner, seeing a need and striving to make life better for others.
Melba is survived by her sons, Thomas Easterday and wife Suzy of Yukon, OK, James Easterday of Plymouth; daughter, Kaley Easterday-Zimmerer and husband John of Logansport; grandchildren, Michele Vogel, Michael Easterday, Melanie Walton, Kaley Zimmerer, Jennifer Berju, Heather Easterday, and Sarah Kenny and eighteen great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ed, and son, Marty.
A time of visitation will be held at Grace United Church of Christ, Culver, Indiana, on Monday, July 18, 2022, from 9:30 - 11:00 AM followed by funeral services at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Culver Masonic Cemetery.
Melba Easterday, 101, of Culver, Indiana, passed away on July 11, 2022, at Miller's Merry Manor in Culver. Melba was born March 21, 1921, at home in Ora, Indiana, to Floyd and Lucille White. She was the oldest of 6 children. In the late 1920's, when the depression hit, Melba worked as a nanny for the Newman family cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children, in return for room and board. There she met Lovina Newman Wesson and they became lifelong friends. Her family regularly attended Zion Church on the Newman property and later became charter members of Grace United Church of Christ in Culver.
During the depression, the family mainly survived on produce and meats produced on their homestead, together with in-kind payments of food for their work outside of the home. Melba attended Forest School and Aubbeenaubee School in Leiters Ford. The family moved to Culver when she was 16 and there she experienced electricity and indoor plumbing for the first time.
One day in high school, a red-headed boy from across the street named Edward carried her books home from school and the rest was history. Melba and Ed both graduated from Culver High School and she began working, first at a clothing factory in Knox and then for Russell Easterday in his construction business as a bookkeeper. She worked at Kingsbury Ordinance Facility, where Easterday Construction was building barracks for the servicemen. Ed was drafted into the Army when World War II broke out [he was inducted into the service on 17 June 1942 in Indianapolis] and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1941. They returned to Culver after his discharge, where he rejoined the construction company with his two brothers for the next 40 years. Melba was active in the business, routinely running parts to the job site.
Melba was very active in her church, serving on local and district church committees, teaching Sunday School, and serving as President of the Women's Guild. An excellent cook, she enjoyed donating time and food to church meals, bake sales, and funeral dinners. She supported Church World Service and routinely volunteered at their service activities. The family joked that she could do anything well in church, except sing. She was an excellent mother to her three sons, assisting in their activities with the Culver Boy Scout Troop and outfitting the troop for camp outs, canoe trips, and other overnight activities. She served as a Cub Scout Den Mother for years and assisted the Webelos scouting group.
She was involved in the community schools where she was President of the PTA several times and active as a volunteer with the band and Little League. An active member of the Marshall County Hospital Auxiliary, she enjoyed sewing, making bandages, blankets, and dolls for the patients.
In her later years, she attended Culver City Club meetings and enjoyed their social interactions. She was also a member of Rainbow and the Order of Eastern Star, which she attended regularly into her 90's recently receiving a 75-year membership award.
Melba spent her entire life in service to others her husband, three sons, local clubs, churches and organizations. She did so in a quiet but determined manner, seeing a need and striving to make life better for others.
Melba is survived by her sons, Thomas Easterday and wife Suzy of Yukon, OK, James Easterday of Plymouth; daughter, Kaley Easterday-Zimmerer and husband John of Logansport; grandchildren, Michele Vogel, Michael Easterday, Melanie Walton, Kaley Zimmerer, Jennifer Berju, Heather Easterday, and Sarah Kenny and eighteen great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ed, and son, Marty.
A time of visitation will be held at Grace United Church of Christ, Culver, Indiana, on Monday, July 18, 2022, from 9:30 - 11:00 AM followed by funeral services at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Culver Masonic Cemetery.
During the depression, the family mainly survived on produce and meats produced on their homestead, together with in-kind payments of food for their work outside of the home. Melba attended Forest School and Aubbeenaubee School in Leiters Ford. The family moved to Culver when she was 16 and there she experienced electricity and indoor plumbing for the first time.
One day in high school, a red-headed boy from across the street named Edward carried her books home from school and the rest was history. Melba and Ed both graduated from Culver High School and she began working, first at a clothing factory in Knox and then for Russell Easterday in his construction business as a bookkeeper. She worked at Kingsbury Ordinance Facility, where Easterday Construction was building barracks for the servicemen. Ed was drafted into the Army when World War II broke out [he was inducted into the service on 17 June 1942 in Indianapolis] and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1941. They returned to Culver after his discharge, where he rejoined the construction company with his two brothers for the next 40 years. Melba was active in the business, routinely running parts to the job site.
Melba was very active in her church, serving on local and district church committees, teaching Sunday School, and serving as President of the Women's Guild. An excellent cook, she enjoyed donating time and food to church meals, bake sales, and funeral dinners. She supported Church World Service and routinely volunteered at their service activities. The family joked that she could do anything well in church, except sing. She was an excellent mother to her three sons, assisting in their activities with the Culver Boy Scout Troop and outfitting the troop for camp outs, canoe trips, and other overnight activities. She served as a Cub Scout Den Mother for years and assisted the Webelos scouting group.
She was involved in the community schools where she was President of the PTA several times and active as a volunteer with the band and Little League. An active member of the Marshall County Hospital Auxiliary, she enjoyed sewing, making bandages, blankets, and dolls for the patients.
In her later years, she attended Culver City Club meetings and enjoyed their social interactions. She was also a member of Rainbow and the Order of Eastern Star, which she attended regularly into her 90's recently receiving a 75-year membership award.
Melba spent her entire life in service to others her husband, three sons, local clubs, churches and organizations. She did so in a quiet but determined manner, seeing a need and striving to make life better for others.
Melba is survived by her sons, Thomas Easterday and wife Suzy of Yukon, OK, James Easterday of Plymouth; daughter, Kaley Easterday-Zimmerer and husband John of Logansport; grandchildren, Michele Vogel, Michael Easterday, Melanie Walton, Kaley Zimmerer, Jennifer Berju, Heather Easterday, and Sarah Kenny and eighteen great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ed, and son, Marty.
A time of visitation will be held at Grace United Church of Christ, Culver, Indiana, on Monday, July 18, 2022, from 9:30 - 11:00 AM followed by funeral services at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Culver Masonic Cemetery.
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