Melba Blake

Melba Lynn Blake was born on September 14th, 1957 In Long Beach, California to Annette Blake Cowwye and Sterling Blake. She was the youngest of three daughters and was joyfully welcomed by her parents and older sisters.

In her youth, she had a passion and aptitude for singing and was noted for her beautiful voice within the household as she sang her favorite songs as they blared on the radio. She also possessed a love for animals and cared for the family dogs throughout her adolescence and in her golden years, she cared for her emotional support dog Chance for more than a decade.

She attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California and graduated in 1975. After graduation, she worked in the Long Beach Shipyards as a key punch operator and ultimately transitioned into financial servicing, a career that nurtured her skills as a conversationalist and her passion for looking out for the welfare of others.

After the passing of her father Sterling Blake, she moved to Illinois to connect more with his family. In doing so she discovered so many more things about him and created lasting relationships. After time in Illinois, she moved to North Carolina to be closer to her daughter's family, where she settled and established roots as well as where she had the family dog, Chance, who became her ESA(Emotional Support Animal) in 2018.

She connected with many people through work, community centers and neighbors. She resided in Charlotte, North Carolina for years and later, Hickory, North Carolina where she created new friendships and was a great friend and helping hand to all around her.

Melba Lynn Blake, at 66 years of age, passed away Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.

She is preceded in death by her beloved parents, her mother Annette Blake Cowwye and her father Sterling Blake.

She leaves to cherish her memory two loving children, her son David Lewis Elliott Jr of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and her daughter, Monica Lanae Smallwood-Blake of Charlotte, North Carolina and her two valued sisters, Laurella Theus of Long Beach, California and Charlotte Sellers of Los Angeles, California and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A graveside service will be at 11:00 AM on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at Jenkins Funeral Home Cemetery, 4081 Startown Road, Newton, NC 28658.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.caringcremations.net. The Blake family has entrusted arrangements to Caring Cremations Life Celebrations and Funerals at 828-855-3350.