Melba Ruth Harris' Obituary
Melba Ruth Thompson Jolly Harris, born on the 29th of July 1938, died on November 20, 2020.
She was born to Lee R and Cecil Yates Thompson on July 29th, 1938 in Paris Texas.
Melba was the youngest of four children and had two brothers and one sister, Charles Bernard (Butch), Donald Lee (Donnie), and Dorothy Caraway(Dot). Melba graduated from Monterey Highschool in Lubbock Texas in May of 1956. She attended Texas Tech University and was a proud Red Raider fan her whole life.
Melba moved from Lubbock to Chaute and Scott Airforce bases and back to Lubbock due to her first husband’s, Kenneth Jolly, military service. During this time she gave birth to all her children Jana, Kristy, Kerry, and Kevin.
They relocated to Tahlequah Oklahoma in 1968. She worked in the medical field in Tahlequah and through retirement decades later in the Tulsa area. She lived a storied life full of friends and family that loved her dearly.
She was preceded in death by her husbands Kenneth R Jolly and Wayman Harris. She was survived by her children Jana Kimball and husband Bill of Afton, Kristy Beamish and husband Alan of Oklahoma City, Kerry and Kevin Jolly of Tulsa and Afton, respectively. Also by her grandchildren Lauren, Sarah, Kara, Erik and Amy, and six great-grandchildren.
Due to Covid precautions, the immediate family will have an intimate graveside service to celebrate her life at Floral Haven in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. This disease has tremendously impacted Melba and her family.
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