Melba E. Ingram

Melba E. Ingram, of Terre Haute, passed away peacefully on the evening of Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at her Westminster Village home, age 105. Melba was born in Creal Springs, Illinois on September 3, 1907, the daughter of the late Eugene E. and Bertha (Trousdale) Leach. She was united in marriage to her husband, N.B. Ingram, who was the retired marketing vice president of Sunoco Oil Company. Melba was very active with the Centenary United Methodist Church. She moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1950, where she was a parishioner of the Tulsa Boston Avenue United Methodist Church. She served in many capacities and especially enjoyed being involved with the United Methodist Women. As a very active woman, Melba was a proud member of the Mayflower Society, The Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. As a gifted and wonderful photographer, Melba had belonged to The Photographic Society of America and The Tulsa Photographic Society. She was an avid golfer and enjoyed traveling extensively. Melba returned to Terre Haute in 1988 and was glad to be reunited with her family at the Centenary United Methodist Church and to make her home at Westminster Village. She was a devoted woman of faith with a kind and gentle soul. Her memory will live on for generations to come. Melba will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Melba leaves to cherish her memory her loving and devoted granddaughter, Sally and husband Tom Whitehurst of Terre Haute; daughter-in-law, Joan Lewis Ingram of Terre Haute; six nieces, Judy Leach Connely of San Luis Obispo, California, Betty Jo Erickson Hayes of Port Aransas, Texas, JoAnn Lashley Clark of Jefferson City, Missouri, Jaclyn Lashley Hancock of Marion, Illinois, Janis Lashley Laube of South Windsor, Connecticut and Jeanne Lashley Nelson of Denton, Texas. In addition to her parents and her husband, Melba was welcomed home to heaven by her only son, Ray G. Ingram, who passed away in 1999. Ray was the retired senior vice president of Terre Haute First National Bank. Melba was also preceded in death by her sisters, Marjorie Leach Lashley, Bertha Leach Erickson and her two brothers, Judge Duane Leach and E.E. “Gene” Leach. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 14, 2012 from 1:30 p.m. until Melba’s Private Family Funeral Ceremony at 2:00 p.m. at Roselawn Memorial Park’s Chapel of Memories. Pastor Jimmy Moore will officiate with private burial to follow in Roselawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Melba may be directed to the Centenary United Methodist Church, the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, Attn: Ray G. Ingram fund, or a charity of the donor’s choice. Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family online at www.roselawnfuneralhome.net