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Melba Arnold Obituary
April 24, 1932 - November 9, 2024
Raleigh, North Carolina - Melba Barbour Arnold of Raleigh, aged 92, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, November 9th, 2024, while visiting family in Randleman, NC.
A Celebration of Melba's life will be held on Saturday, November 30th, 2024 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sertoma Arts Center, 1400 W. Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27612. A private burial will be held at a later date. Melba was a native of Wake County, the daughter of the late Luther Leon Barbour and Stella McLean Barbour. She attended Fuquay-Varina High School and was a proud 1954 graduate of Meredith College.
Melba married Thurston Wade Arnold, Sr. in 1955 and lived in Eastern North Carolina for almost 50 years. She moved to Raleigh after her husband's death in 2005 to be closer to family. Melba worked as a Pathology technician at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, a Kindergarten and Special Education Teacher in Plymouth, and a Tour Guide/Interpreter at the Tyron Palace Historical Society in New Bern.
Melba took great pride in being a caring and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved seeing live musical theater productions, especially "Mama Mia", and going to classical music performances. Melba was an excellent cook, accomplished seamstress, gardener, and a lover of nature. She loved to travel, visiting all 50 states as well as special trips to Russia, Scotland, Switzerland, and England.
Melba was an optimistic, wonderful woman and believed in living life to the fullest every single day. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
In addition to her parents, Melba was preceded in death by her loving husband, Thurston Wade Arnold, Sr., son-in-law, Mark G. Keen, and sister, Malisia Barbour Hawes.
Survivors: children, Thurston Wade Arnold, Jr. and wife Melanie of Goldsboro, Anne Arnold Keen of Raleigh, and Kenneth Neil Arnold and wife Mary-Anna Christel of Raleigh, sister, Rachel Daughtry of Kennebec, NC, sister-in-law, June Arnold of Wendell, NC, grandchildren, David Wade Arnold, Melissa Anne Arnold, Robert Thurston Arnold, Paul Duncan Keen, and Alexander Kenneth Arnold and wife Sarah, great-grandchildren, Kylee, Lilly, Johnny Wade, R.J., Rose, and Legend, special first cousin, Peggy Allen of Kennebec, NC, best friend, Marylee Crofts of Raleigh, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Arrangements by Loflin Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Ramseur.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to either the Cherry Hill Historical Foundation, P.O. Box 149, Inez, NC 27589, or Chamber Music Raleigh, P.O. Box 2059, Raleigh, NC 27602-2059.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Loflin Funeral Home and Cremation Services147 Coleridge Rd P. O. Box 525, Ramseur, NC 27316
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