THE Myrtle Everlean Mell transitioned into her heavenly home on April 22, 2023 at 4:00 PM.  Myrtle was born on Feb. 9, 1931, to her parents Kelly and Minnie (Brown) People in Anniston Alabama. She was the fifth child of eight. There was one still born girl amongst the Peoples girls and boys. Myrtle was the last known relative of the People family.

FAMILY LOYALTY

Myrtle used to say about herself while telling stories of her childhood “when I was a little boy in Alabama…” This reference was because of her straight and tall stature and that she performed many duties that the boys would normally perform to help the family’s livelihood. For example, collecting the pig slop jars around town.

Myrtle’s older brothers were off to college and her sisters had paid, working jobs or in school. Her two younger siblings were too young or sickly to perform many duties. So, that left only Myrtle, plain, black and tall to perform the dirty work.

Myrtle moved to Cleveland, Ohio at the age of 10. Her second oldest brother, Alphonza had relocated to Cleveland to find work. Alphonza became a pullman porter on the Pennsylvania Railroad. He told his mother that the school systems were better in Cleveland than in the south. The family decided to move the family to Cleveland, Ohio.

ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST

The Family was familiar with Cleveland as it is the home of The Gethsemane Baptist Church where the Negro Spiritual Choir, Wings Over Jordan was heard over radio waves across the nation. The Choir was created by the Rev. Glenn T. Settle in 1938.

Myrtle accepted Christ as her personal Lord and savior at a young age and became a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama. Myrtle became a member of the Gethsemane Baptist Church at the age of 11 years old after the family moved to Cleveland. Myrtle eventually became a member of the Wings Over Jordan Celebration Chorus directed by Maestro Glenn Brackens which continues to perform the glorious negro spirituals to this day. Myrtle was a member of the Gethsemane Baptist Church choir for her entire active life. Myrtle also traveled near and far with her husband and friends, praising the name of Jesus, with the Annual James Cleveland Choral Workshops.

EDUCATION

Myrtle was also very smart and a voracious reader. Myrtle often told her children that “We should never be bored; to pick up a book if we couldn’t find anything else to do”.

Myrtle graduated from Central High School. She attained certificates in dietary training and worked as a dietician at the Mt. Sinai Hospital in Cleveland.

FRIEND

Myrtle loved her stomping grounds growing up at 1264 Scovil Ave.  Here she met lifelong friends such as David and Betty Jean Cabil. At the same time, she met her best friends at Gethsemane Baptist Church Rose, Mary and Dorothy Foster. She befriended a host of other families at Gethsemane such as the Foxhall, Brown and Foster families. In particular, the Bryant family. The Bryant’s nephew was a handsome Christian man named Robert Henry Mell who was the love of Myrtle’s life.  Myrtle and Robert met and married on March 25, 1951. From that union were born two children, Mia Lynn (Mimi) and Robert Alan (Champ).

FAMILY

Myrtle was devoted to the raising and well-being of her family.  Once the children began school, Myrtle reentered the job market as an elevator operator at the former Sterling Linder Davis department store in Cleveland, OH known for its 65 ft. Christmas tree. Myrtle later worked in several positions at the Cleveland Public School system where she eventually retired as a library assistant and school secretary. Myrtle was also an avid volunteer at various Cleveland Public Schools.

HOBBIES

Myrtle also loved flower and vegetable gardening. She taught many of the family members, along with her father Kelly, to plant, maintain and harvest the flowers and vegetables. All was shared with neighbors and friends. Myrtle loved sports and traveling. Myrtle and her daughter traveled the country visiting family and friends and making new friends. Traveling to Boston, Massachusetts, Detroit, Michigan, Anniston, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, St. Louis, Missouri, and New England states, Chesapeake and Williamsburg, Virginia, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and more.

NEIGHBOR

She was also loyal to friends and neighbors while living on Amesbury in the Hough neighborhood. I remember as a child my mother running into a burning house and bringing out a baby boy who survived the fire. Also, her beloved E. 113th street friends and neighbors. Myrtle befriended the young and the old, walking the neighborhood. Sharing each other’s plight in life and helping support, love and teach. She loved to talk about Gethsemane Baptist Church and the love of Jesus Christ. The neighborhood loved Myrtle and watched out for her in her later years as her memory began to fail her. Even through this journey Myrtle made impressionable memories among all the many health professionals and medical staff that assisted her. They loved serving her because they enjoyed her wit and tenacity. Myrtle loved answering a question with her wit and watching how they marveled at her response. Myrtle’s understanding of language and her faith in God allowed her to stand and have no fear of anyone or anything. Myrtle received accolades for being an outstanding community volunteer from Mayor Frank Jackson.

Years ago, I recall a young man trying to warn my mother against forcing the young men parked in cars in front of her house doing wrong things to move. Myrtle would go outside and begin sweeping the sidewalk and singing songs about Jesus or she would even use the old tactic of turning on the water hose. The warning was “Mrs. Mell please stop coming outside when the guys are there; they have Uzi’s in their cars”. However, Myrtle and her Lord and savior were greater than that or any other threat.

HER LEGACY

Myrtle had a depression that lingered as she lost her parents, her best cousin, Thelma Maddox, her loving sisters-in-law Thelma Peoples and Thelma Mell, her husband Robert, all her sisters and brothers and all but three in laws. Leaving her the matriarch of the family.

Myrtle transitioned in what was the most peaceful journey. She was ministered to, she was prayed over, she was sung to, she was hugged and kissed. She was told how much she was loved by friends and family, and she could respond by a nod of the head or in her last hour a single tear.  That tear is significant because Myrtle could not make tears.  She often said, ‘I wish I could cry’.  My cousin taught me that mom’s tears represent Jesus Christ restoring her body to whole.  What a beautiful sentiment.

I am certain that Myrtle is so happy to be walking around heaven, singing and praising our Lord and savior Jesus Christ with her husband, her parents, her siblings and in-laws, family and friends.

Myrtle leaves to mourn her daughter Mia Moore (Alphonso Sr.), her son, Robert Mell (Mary), five grandchildren, Brandon Moore, Aaron Moore, Robert Mell, Christopher Mell, Kelly Ringer and one great grandchild Kyle Ringer. Brother-in-law Martin Mell (Shirley), sister-in-law Rachel Lewis, two god-sons, Earl Macklin and Wesley France, and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, cousins, neighbors, and friends.

We love you mom, Mimi and Champ.

These descriptive words were said to us before, during and after our Mother’s transition.  We believe that these words are true character traits of THE MYRTLE E. MELL.

A force

Active

Aunt grandmother

Beautiful

Blessing

Christian

Determined

Did not mince words

Direct

Diva

Feisty

Fighter

Fortitude

Friend

Frugal

Funny

Godly

Gracious

Grandmother

Hard

Impactful

Impressive

Inquisitive

Insightful

Intelligent

Lady

Lovely

Loving

Loyal

Matriarch

Memorable

Neighbor

Outspoken

Outstanding

Peacemaker

Pragmatic

Prim

Prominent

Proper

Queen

Regal

Royal essence

Sassy

Self-confident

Service

Shero

Special

Stand out

Strong

Strong

Strong black woman

Stubborn

Teacher

Tenacious

The Rock

Tough

Traditional

Trustworthy

Truthful

Unique

Unusual

Windstorm

Witty

MOTHER

Graveside Service Celebrating the life of

MYRTLE EVERLEAN MELL

Prelude, Music by Wings Over Jordan

Welcome, Rev. Richard Parkers, Pastor, Gethsemane Baptist Church

Musical Selection – “Total Praise” by Richard Smallwood, Soloist, Lucretia Bolden

Scripture:

Old Testament:  Psalms 27:1, Rev. Richard Parker

New Testament:  Romans 7:21-22, Pastor Michael Holmes, Pastor Good Shepherd Baptist Church

Pastoral Prayer, Rev. Richard Parker

Musical Medley, Keyboardist, Maestro Glenn Brackens

Pastoral Prayer, Rev. Richard Gibson

Resolutions, Michele People

Reading, Meredith Hill

Closing Prayer, Pastor Michael Holmes

Fellowship with family at the home of Alphonso and Mia Moore immediately following the service: