Melba F. Craddock, 90, of Troy, IL, born Tuesday, March 1, 1931 in Harris, TN and passed away on Thursday, May 12, 2022 at Liberty Village, Maryville, IL.

Melba Frances Craddock was borne March 1, 1931 to Herbert and Connie Lynch at Union City, Tennessee. She had five siblings: Alien, Odelia, Herbert, Kenneth and Myra with Herbert being the only other survivor. She Married Walter Craddock on March 1, 1948 at the age of 17. She had two children Debbie (Dave) Hommert, and Phil Craddock who passed away in February of 2013. She has two Grandchildren, Charlie (Jessie) Ray and Kattie Craddock both living in Alabama. She has been blessed with two great-grandchildren, Dexter and Willow.

Melba lived in Tennessee, Kentucky, Chicago, Granite City and Collinsville during her lifetime. In her early years, she was a waitress at a 5&10 store in Fulton KY where she and Walter made there first home. She also drove a buss for the school district in Granite City IL for a little over 18 years.

As a young woman living in Fulton Kentucky, she had a neighbor who would drop her off for worship at the Church of Christ in Fulton Kentucky and became a Christian in 1942.

Walter and Melba did a lot of volunteer work at the Christian Academy in St. Louis. From raising pumpkins for the school's first fall festival, to working as the librarian and other random tasks asked of her during that time. There grandson Charlie Graduated from Christian Academy, and Katie also attended for a time.

Walter and Melba placed membership with the Collinsville Church of Christ in 1963. Melba was an elder's wife for 12 wonderful years.

Melba has reminisced about many things during her childhood. Her mother taught their father math and to read. He and his one daughter worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oakridge TN. Walter helped his dad farm and assisted with the milk route where Melba would help drive and deliver the milk. She remembers just having bread and a can of corn for a meal when they were first married and thinking that was the best meal she could remember. She reminisced about looking through the cushions to find enough money to see a movie from time to time.

Speaking of driving the milk route she also would laugh about the time she and her friend were in the cab and Walter and their buddy were on top of the truck. Due to talking as ladies do, both ladies forgot their husbands were on the top of the truck. Luckily the men realized and moved down to the lower part of the cab, just in time to pass under the overpass, at which time melba would throw on the breaks in a panic remembering the men on the top of the truck. When she did this, they were unprepared and flew off the truck, landing safely, but very much startled.

Though she has departed from this physical world, we can be assured that being a Godly woman who lived a full life by the word of God, she is with him. While we are saddened by her passing and will miss her being with us on this earth, we will one day meet again. As one of her favorite songs says "And lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound, and the lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul."

Memorials may be made to Church of Christ, 1400 Troy Road, Collinsville, IL  62234, Christian Academy, 11050 N. Warson Road, St. Louis, MO  63114 or Potter Children's Home and Family Ministry, 2350 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY  42101.  Online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.Richesonfh.com

Visitation for Melba will be held 9:30 am to 11 am on Monday, May 23, 2022 at Church of Christ, 1400 Troy Road, Collinsville, IL  62234

Funeral services will be held 11 am Monday, May 23, 2022 at Church of Christ, Collinsville, IL.  Interment will be in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO.

RICHESON FUNERAL HOME, Troy, IL