Melba B. Gammill

Long time Louisville resident Melba Bruce Gammill passed away early Sunday morning, June 28, 2015 at Bickford Cottages in Portage, MI. Her son Ronnie was by her side and holding her hand as her 93 years came to a peaceful end. Mrs. Gammill was born on March 29, 1922, in Choctaw County Mississippi to Lee Boyce and Clara Reid Bruce. She graduated from Mathiston High School and Wood Junior College. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Louisville, MS for 68 years. She worked at the Classic Cleaners, Bank of Louisville (also where her husband Arthur Hubert Gammill had been employed), the Sunburst Bank, Union Planters Bank and retiring from Regions Bank. She loved her work and especially those she worked with and served as a bank teller. She loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren with tremendous passion and kindness. In particular, she loved to cook and sew for them. Going to Granny’s house was always a highly anticipated venture. Not only was the food great, but you also got to visit with Aunt Lorene and Uncle Arnell, Mrs. Power, Maggie Hope Chaney and so many others in the neighborhood. She spent her last few years at Bickford Cottages in Michigan close to her son. There she quickly made new friends and was able to visit and enjoy all of her grand and great grandkids. Bickford was a wonderful home for her and she quickly grew to love them all. However, she never forgot about Louisville and her lifelong friends there. Mom and her friends in Louisville continued to enjoy their friendship from a distance. She also loved her church. She raised her family in the church and was an active member, belonging to the Church Circle and volunteering her time toward church programs. She so loved helping others. Sometimes she would carry food to someone sick or just a simple visit to let someone know that they had not been forgotten. She was a very thoughtful and loving lady She was married to the love of her life, Arthur Hubert Gammill, on May 2, 1943 in Rome, Georgia. Mrs. Gammill was preceded in death by her parents, Lee Boyce Bruce (October 6, 1894-December 1, 1971) and Clara Reid Bruce (October 27, 1895-July 1, 1969), her husband Arthur Hubert Gammill (September 10, 1920-December 26, 1954), three sisters; Lorene Bruce Hisaw, Nella Dean Melton, Willie Belle Minor Rodgers and three brothers; Boyce Reid Bruce, Forest Bruce and Jack Bruce, and a daughter-in-law Andrea Claire Maglathlin Gammill. She is survived by her son Dr. Ronald Bruce Gammill, his wife, Martha Ann Cox Gammill Esq. of Schoolcraft, Michigan; three grandchildren; Joseph Christian Gammill, his wife Amy Leeann Chaffin Gammill, their daughter LilyClaire Leeann Gammill of Huntington Beach, California; Kathryn Lee Gammill Mars, her husband Kevin-Michael Mars and their children, Giavonna Claire Manolatos and Gabriel Bruce Mars of Chicago, Illinois; and David West Gammill Esq, Meagan Marie Marcuccilli, MD, and their daughter Harper Louise West Gammill of Hermosa Beach, California. Visitation will be Wednesday, July 1 at Porter Funeral Home from 6 – 8 PM. The funeral will be Thursday, July 2 at 11 AM at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Rob Paul officiating. Interment will follow the service at the Memorial Park Cemetery. Local arrangements by Redmond Funeral Home, 4100 S. Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008 (269) 343-6156. www.redmondfuneralhomes.net