Melba Elizabeth (Purcell) Aynes, age 96, of Palmetto, Florida, formerly of Bloomington, passed away, Thursday, April 18, 2024. Born March 9, 1928 in Hymera, Indiana, she was the daughter of William Whitaker and Elsie Inez (Terry) Purcell. Melba graduated from Bloomington High School where she was a member of the Gay Dozen Club. She went to work as a secretary for the I.U. Registrar’s office, later serving as the vice-president and bookkeeper of her late husband‘s business, General Cartage of Bloomington.
Melba loved to read, play Euchre, attend auctions and garage sales and an avid viewer of the The Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy television game shows. She was a member of the Bloomington First United Church and while in Florida was a member of the Esplanade Book Club.
Melba is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Daniel Field, of Palmetto, Florida and Elizabeth and James Sinders, of Bloomington; six grandchildren, James Sinders, Christopher Sinders, Erika Nay, Aimee Stanton, Maria Okeke and Sarah Okeke; three step-grandchildren, Dennis Field, Gerald Field and William Field and five great-grandchildren.
Melba was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Arthur Wayne Aynes, in 2013, two brothers, John Purcell and William “Bucky” Purcell, two sisters, Gwendolyn Storms and Frieda Pitha, one grandson, Jonathan Sinders and one great-granddaughter, Faith Schroer.
The funeral service will be held on Friday at 1:00 p.m. at the Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home. Friends may visit the family on Friday from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Melba's memory may be made to Autism Society of Indiana, 10255 Commerce Dr Ste. 164 Drive, Carmel, Indiana 46032, https://www.autismsocietyofindiana.org; and Charity of One's Choice.
