Melba Howard

Melba Lucille (Hall) Howard, beloved family matriarch, passed away on August 28, 2025 at Texarkana, Texas at the age of 104.

Melba was born on Christmas day, 1920, at the family home in Center Hill, Texas to Richard and Lois Hall. She grew up in Center Hill and attended public school there and at Linden, Texas.  After World War II, she went to work for Western Union in Texarkana and then was assigned to a job in Dallas. At Dallas she met and married her husband William Carroll (Bill) Howard. Melba and Bill had three children and lived in Dallas and Lancaster, a Dallas suburb, until 1963, when they moved to Center Hill.  After Bill’s untimely passing from cancer in 1975, she continued living in Center Hill and built a new house there.  She worked hard to support herself and for many years was bookkeeper and office manager for Clements Construction and Realty in Atlanta, Texas. Upon retirement she also lived in Marshall and Texarkana.

Melba loved playing card games, board games and traveling. Most of all she loved her family–siblings, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. She kept up with them regularly on Facebook and she cherished their visits. She looked forward to family gatherings, including the Hall family reunion and the annual Hall family Thanksgiving luncheon.  She also loved the Howard family Christmas celebration. Christmas was special, as it was also her birthday, and she loved opening gifts.

Melba was a person of strong character and determination, who was admired for her devotion to family and friends. In her long life she saw great changes and met many challenges. Her amazing life is a testament to her strong will and love of others.

Melba was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, by a son Douglas Carroll, by sisters Audra Archer, Opal Wiggins, Ruth Young, Golda Holland and by her brother Sidney Charles Hall. She is survived by her sister Joyce Cole, of Atlanta, and by her children, Steve Howard of Cedar Park, Texas, Patricia Williams of DeSoto, Texas and Rob Howard of Texarkana, Texas, and his wife Catherine. She is also survived by her grandchildren Jeff Howard, of Austin, Texas and his wife Jane and their sons William and Henry; and by grandson David Williams of Dallas, and by granddaughter Claire Howard of Dallas.  She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews who loved and admired her. Special thanks to Ms. Ocella Brock and Ms. Fran Moore for providing 24 hour care for almost two years. They did so with a generous spirit and love.

Services for Ms. Howard will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, September 4, 2025 in the chapel of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Linden. Burial will follow at Center Hill Cemetery under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Linden. There will be a time of visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. Thursday and lasting until service time. In lieu of flowers the family requests that you make donations to the Center Hill Cemetery Association or the charity of your choice.