Melba Boles Kelley

Melba Boles Kelley
Melba Boles Kelley, 91, of Orange, Texas, passed away on March 13, 2018, in Orange.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 19, 2018, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Pastor Travis Hood, of Cove Baptist Church in Orange. Burial will follow the service at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in Shelbyville, Texas, on July 28, 1926, she was the daughter of Jesse Boles and Maggie Baker Boles. She was a graduate of Stark High School. Melba worked as a secretary for the Naval Base in Orange where she met her husband, Clifford Kelley, Jr. and went on to work as a secretary at the City of West Orange for 22 years before retiring. She loved her family dearly and enjoyed following her grandchildren’s activities.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Clifford Kelley, Jr.; parents, Jesse and Maggie Boles; and her siblings, Alvis Doyle Boles, Thomas Lee Boles, Jesse Thomas Boles, Jr., Zelda Peveto, and infant sister, Caroline Boles.

Melba is survived by her daughter, Pamela Champagne and husband Albert, of Orange; grandchildren, Eric Lindsey and wife Lisa, of Houston, Christa Hardy, of Orange, and Jessica Babin and husband Cory, of Nederland; great-grandchildren, Seth Buchanan, Caidon Buchanan, Zoee Buchanan, Anna Babin, Avery Babin, Drew Babin, Sophia Lindsey, and Daniella Lindsey; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers will be Seth Buchanan, Caidon Buchanan, Cory Babin, Chad Jenkins, Morgan Michael, and Alex Caswell. Honorary pallbearers are her grandchildren.