OBIT: Melba Rich
Mrs. Melba Rich, age 79, a homemaker of the Pleasant Shade community, died Saturday evening, April 18, 2020, at 8:47 p.m. at the family’s Pleasant Shade Highway home surrounded by her family. She was pronounced deceased at 9:42 p.m. by HighPoint Hospice of Gallatin, who had been assisting the family with her care since January 17th of this year.
Private graveside services were conducted at the Pleasant Shade Cemetery on Monday afternoon, April 20th, at 3 p.m. with Mrs. Rich’s pastor, Eld. Scott Rigsby, and Eld. Gerald Ragland officiating. The burial followed the 3 p.m. services in the Rich family lot.
Born Melba Sue Brooks in the Maynard Hollow in the Cartwright community on March 8, 1941, she was one of six children of the late Mathie B. “Knockie Bow” Brooks Sr., who died at the age of 81 on November 13, 1981, and Lora Ellen Gregory Brooks, who died at the age of 87 on December 21, 1996.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a sister, Virginia Ruth Brooks Smith, and her husband, Glenn, by two brothers, Mathie B. Brooks Jr., who died in 2009 at the age of 65, and Ronald Lee Brooks, who died October 10, 2019 at the age of 80, and his wife, Shirley, sisters-in-law, Wilma Green Brooks and Dollie Ann Rich Adams and brother-in-law, James E. Thompson.
Mrs. Rich was united in marriage on December 26, 1956 at the home of then Justice of the Peace Willie Taylor to Pleasant Shade community native Joseph (Joe) Taylor Rich.
Mrs. Rich was saved and joined by baptism the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church on July 19, 1983.
Surviving, in addition to her husband, Joe, of over sixty three years, are their four children, Joseph Arnold Rich and wife, Debbie Bush Rich, Jerry Rich and wife, Becky Barnes Rich, all of the Pleasant Shade community, Bro. Jackie Rich and wife, Sherry Davenport Rich, of Red Boiling Springs, Jocella Sue Rich Halliburton and husband, Todd, of the Pleasant Shade community; sister, Ruby Elaine Brooks Thompson of Lafayette; brother, William Roy Brooks of the Russell Hill community; nine grandchildren, Amy Leigh Rich Rogers and husband, Ryan, JoBeth Rich McCoy and husband, Dustin, Jeri Lynn Rich, Hannah Rich Denson and husband, Jason, Taylor Rich and wife, Tricia, Sue, Ann Halliburton Kidwell and husband, Matthew, Victoria Rich, Leah Rich, Isaac Rich and like a grandchild to Mrs. Melba, Elizabeth Halliburton; five great-grandchildren, Lindsay Denson, Jake Denson, Janie Mai Rogers, Jett Denson and Colin McCoy; sisters-in-law, Bessie (Pal)Brooks of Ashland City, Melba Joy Rich Pace and husband, Adam, of Ruston, Louisiana, brothers-in-law, David Turney Rich and wife, Almanette, of Pleasant Shade, Eld. Gerald Lee Rich and wife, Ronda, of Pleasant Shade, James Bell Rich of Mt. Juliet, Jesse Adams of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, several nieces and nephews.
The Rich family requests memorials to the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
