Melba Ellinghouse

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- Melba Louise Ellinghouse, 84, of Fredericktown passed away Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, at Ozark Manor Care Center in Fredericktown.

She was born July 14, 1924, in Hiram, Mo., daughter of Charley Watson and Mary Susan Duncan Costephens. She and Charles Lee Ellinghouse Jr. were married April 2, 1949, in Glenallen, Mo. He preceded her in death March 7, 1996.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Claire Ellinghouse III of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Debbie Ellinghouse of Dexter, Mo.; six grandchildren, Crissy Batchelor, Amber Ellinghouse, Daniel Ellinghouse, Gabriel Ellinghouse, Amanda Renfro and Charles Lee Tanner; four great-grandchildren, Luke, Clay and Sarah Batchelor, Christian Tyler Ellinghouse; and a lifelong friend, Dottie Collier.

She was preceded in death by her parents; seven brothers, Lester, Carl, Willis and Fred Costephens, Johnny, Lester and Lee Golden; three sisters, Myrtle Hopkins, Floy Taylor and Erma Vannoy; a grandson, Jason Ellinghouse; and a great-grandson, Benjamin Batchelor.

Mrs. Ellinghouse was a homemaker and teacher. She taught in the Wayne County School System almost 15 years in one-room schools. She loved music and was very talented in playing the piano, harmonica and Hawaiian steel guitar.

She was chaplain for the Fredericktown VFW Women's Auxiliary. She was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church in Silva, Mo., where she was church pianist many years, and attended until her health began to fail. She enjoyed quilting, vegetable gardening and going fishing with her pal Dottie.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Wilson Funeral Home in Fredericktown, and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to service time at New Prospect Baptist Church.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with the Rev. James Gray officiating. Interment will be in New Prospect Cemetery at Silva.

Memorial contributions are suggested to New Prospect Baptist Church.