Obituaries for July 31, 2009

Melba Jeffords

Melba Jeffords, 98, a long time Baker City resident, died July 29, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. today at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Her funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop Ernie Collard will officiate. Interment will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Friends are invited to join the family afterward for a reception and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the services.

Melba was born on June 16, 1911, at Cove to Smith Hyatt and Chloe Burns Mitchell. She was the second of 12 children: four girls and 8 boys.

When Melba was 16, the family moved to Baker City where she met and married Vernon Lawrence Jeffords on Aug. 14, 1928. They lived in Baker City, Montana and Idaho Falls. After Vernon died in June 1963 at Idaho Falls, Melba moved to Provo, Utah, Boise, Idaho, and then back to Baker City.

While in Baker City, she worked for the state Adult and Family Services. Melba was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many positions. The last several years she spent a lot of time doing genealogy.

Survivors include her four children, Wayne and Jacque Jeffords of West Valley City, Utah, Dona and Dick Lemmon of Pendleton, Verna and Don Parker of Orem, Utah and Larry and Erin Jeffords of Ogden, Utah; a daughter-in-law, Myrna Jeffords of Alpine, Utah; 28 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, 20 great-great-grandchildren; brothers, Clair and Rose Mitchell of Phoenix, Ariz., and Delbert and David Mitchell of Boise; sisters, Bernice Vavner of Boise and Merle Singley of Baker City; sister-in-law, Walter and Dorothy Jeffords of McMinnville; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband;  son, Keith Jeffords; her parents; brothers, Forrest, Frank, Harold, Grant and Richard Mitchell; sister, Mona Jean Lemmon; grandson, Jeremy Jeffords; and great-granddaughter, Raven Jeffords.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Humanitarian Fund or Perpetual Education Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place Street, Baker City, OR 97814.