Melba Irene Guyon Griffith Ladd || Obituary

Melba Irene Guyon Griffith Ladd was born on Jan. 3, 1928, in Swartz Louisiana. The third child to Leroy and Blanche Tradewell Parker Guyon. She passed away at her home on Sunday, March 17, 2024.

Melba would tell anyone she was glad she grew up during the 1930s depression years in a loving home with parents who showed their four children how to keep their heads up and firmly believed that they were no better than anyone else and no one was better than them.  Following the stock market crash in 1929, her father worked as a sharecropper in West Carroll Parish in N.E. Louisiana until their move to Monroe, Louisiana in 1935. Melba attended Monroe City Schools, including 4 years of World War II at Neville High School, graduating in 1945 just before the war ended.

Melba has always worked, beginning at the age of 12 she worked at Frank’s Shoe Store on Desiard Street in downtown Monroe, and during her high school years at Holloway Pharmacy in the basement of the Wright Bendell Clinic. She had completed all applications for admission into the Army Cadet Nursing Corp after graduating in May of 1945. The war ended in August of 1945 ending the military need for nurses. She then became employed by Howard E. Griffith, husband of her sister, Freda, in what would now be known as electronic business communications. On May 11, 1946, she married George A. Griffith, who had returned home from serving in the Navy on the U.S.S. Jacinto stationed in the South Pacific, as a tail gunner/radioman. His pilot on the aircraft carrier was, George H.W. Bush. War scarred many returning home after defending our great nation.  Melba and George had grown up together and were married for 8 years.

On July 16, 1960, at the Penn Hotel in Monroe, Louisiana Melba married Carlos Earl Ladd of Deport, Texas. They lived in Houston where she worked for Orthopedist, Alex Brodsky, M.D. She and Carlos moved to Dallas. She and Carlos were huge Dallas Cowboys fans and enjoyed their 34 seasons as ticket holders. While in Dallas, Melba worked at the Ophthalmology office of Maxwell Thomas, M.D. and Tom M. McCrory, M.D. She worked for Doc Thomas for 25 years. She then began to help part-time in the office of surgeon J. Harold Cheek M.D. She and Carlos moved to Deport, Texas in 1979.  On Jan. 1, 1980, she was asked to serve as Executive Director of the Deport Housing Authority. She served as Executive Director for 39 years. Melba and Carlos spent their 55 years together serving their families, friends and community. Carlos died on Jan. 21, 2015

Services will be held at First United Methodist Church in Deport, Texas at 10:00 am Monday, March 25, 2024. Pastor Abby Strickland is to officiate. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery in Deport. The family will receive friends one hour before the service time at the church.

Melba was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Freda Parker Griffith and Geraldine Guyon Moses Allmendinger; her brother, Don Royce Guyon; nephews, Arthur LeRoy Griffith and Burt Wane Moses; and niece, Carol Jean Duncan Scarbrock Gulledge.

Melba is survived by many nieces and nephews, Sharon Ann Griffith Turrentine (David) of Hot Springs AR., Deborah Kay Griffith Smith (John Ed) of Fitzgerald, GA., Susan Geraldine Griffith, Waco, TX.,  Julia Guyon Rowland (Danny) of Colleyville, TX.,  Kathryn Colleen Guyon Manning (Chad) of Sachse, TX.,  Donald Ray Guyon (Wanda) of Duncanville, TX.,  Jack Royce Moses of Dallas, TX., David Earl Moses (Karen) of Jasper, TN., and John William Guyon (Charla) of Duncanville, TX.; Marianne Ladd of Deport, TX., Michael Leonard Ladd (Billie) of Nashville, TN.; one very special niece, Vanessa Irene Nolan with whom she had a very special bond, as well as her family Brett, Hannah and Haley Nolan of Plano, TX.; and two women that have spent years taking care of Blanche, Carlos and Melba, Ms. Nancy Ruth Murphy and Ms. Cristina Ann Murphy of Deport, TX.

Instead of flowers, Melba requests donations to Highland Cemetery Association, PO Box 334 Deport, TX. 75435 or to the First United Methodist Church of Deport, PO Box 126 Deport, TX. 75435.

Pallbearers will be Jerome Chapman, Brett Nolan, John Guyon, David Moses, Daniel Moses and Stephen Rowland.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Chris Brunson, Richard Denman, Joseph Filkins, Chad Farris and Ty Meritt.

Online condolences may be sent to the Ladd family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com