Melba Thomas King, of Ada, died Monday, December 19th, just five days short of her 103rd birthday.

She was born Melba Brown McKoy, on December 24th, 1908, in Stonewall. She and her sister, Zebalene (Ramsey), were the children of Zebulon Keahey McKoy and Addie Jessie Brown McKoy. The elder McKoys had moved to Indian Territory in 1903. Zeb opened a hardware store and a real estate business in Stonewall, and ran them even after the family moved to Ada in 1922.

Melba attended Ada High School, East Central State College, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Colorado. In 1926, she married Churchill Thomas, a biologist and geologist who taught at East Central and was one of the youngest American soldiers (a commando) in WWI. Except for two years in Colorado for Churchill's graduate study, they lived in Ada for the entire 50 years of their marriage. Churchill died in 1977. In 1980, Melba married widower Lester King, who died in 1982.

Melba was very active in Ada cultural and civic affairs. She was a member of the First Christian Church for more than 80 years. An accomplished pianist, she was an active member of the Music Club for most of her adult life. She played a mean hand of bridge, and was a member of several bridge groups. She often lent her energies to organizing and fundraising for worthwhile endeavors, from the purchase of the church organ in the 1920s to fundraising for the Salvation Army children's summer camp program in the 2000s. She provided philanthropic support to several institutions, especially her church and East Central University.

Melba is survived by her nephew, Rudy Ramsey, of Parker, Colorado; Frances York, of Saginaw, MI, daughter of Melba's second husband; several nephews and nieces of her first husband, including JimmieThomas, of Norman; Sue Marsh, of Norman; Barbara Bayless, of Dallas; Virginia Austin, of McLean, VA; Charles Thomas, of Denver; and Phyllece Clare, of Tulsa; and long-time caregivers Virginia McCoy and Tammy Hall.

Melba and Rudy created the McKoys of Ada Foundation, a family charitable fund intended to benefit the citizens of Ada and the surrounding area. That fund supports a number of Ada-area charities, and has funded several special projects for the Boys and Girls Club of Ada and the Ada Public Library. Memorial contributions may be made to this foundation care of Vision Bank, ATTN: Janet Wilburn, PO Box 669, Ada, OK 74821, or to any worthwhile charity of the donor's choice.

A memorial service will be held in January at Criswell Funeral Home in Ada.