Melba Pauline Foster Saunders, 93, of Warner Robins, Georgia, passed into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on Sunday evening, Feb. 14, 2021. She was reunited with her late husband of 31 years in heaven on Valentine’s Day. Born on Aug. 7, 1927, at their family farm home in Culverton, Georgia (Hancock County), Melba was the daughter of the late John Thomas Foster and Pauline Johnson Foster. She was the youngest of nine siblings.
Melba graduated from Sparta High School in 1944 before moving to the big city of Macon, Georgia. She took a position at Southern Bell Telephone as a telephone operator and was involved in the change from operator assisted switching to dial service. Later, Melba became the church secretary of Cherokee Heights Baptist Church, where she met the love of her life, James Reeves Saunders. They married in December 1960 and had a wonderful life together before his passing in 1991. Melba committed her life to caring for her husband, two children, and anyone else that needed her. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Melba became an active member of New Salem Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, for 11 years and then Shirley Hills Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia, for more than 40 years. For her entire life, she had a true servant’s heart in everything she did. While living in Kentucky, she invited Fort Knox Army soldiers into their home for holiday meals during the Vietnam War. Melba was also a talented seamstress who enjoyed making dresses for herself, her mother, her sister, and her daughter. She was known as a wonderful cook and enjoyed preparing funeral meals, snacks for the youth and children’s ministries, and ALWAYS did the Keenager luncheons. In her later years, she was part of the Keenager’s sewing ministry and was involved in the making of comfort pads for cancer patients. Melba was a friend to many and was always an encourager through phone calls, cards, and letters.
Melba fought a valiant battle with dementia during the past 10 years. Through it all, she had good days and bad days, but her sense of humor and engaging smile always shined through. Our family is forever grateful for the loving care provided by Summers Landing Assisted Living and their Memory Care Unit for the past five years, as well as her medical team at Rutland Family Healthcare in Macon, Georgia.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband, all her siblings, and several nieces and nephews.
Remaining to cherish her memory are her daughter, Bonnie Herren (Lee) of Snellville, Georgia; son, Mark Saunders (Amy) of Linden, Michigan; grandchildren, Ashley Prewett (Chris) of Roswell, Georgia, Caleb Saunders of Morgantown, West Virginia, and Ruben Bailey of Burt, Michigan; great-granddaughters, Blakely Claire and Macie Reese Prewett of Roswell, Georgia; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Melba will lie in repose on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home; the family will not be present. A private immediate family only graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, at Magnolia Park Cemetery. The service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live for anyone wishing to view of her service.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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