Melvina Love , February 16, 1923 — March 25, 2019

Melvina Love passed away peacefully on March 25, 2019. She was born February 16, 1923 to William Thompson Nelson and Frances Melvina Smith Nelson. She received her formal education in Odessa, Missouri and was valedictorian at Mayview High School her senior year.

Melvina grew up in the African Methodist Episcopal church (A.M.E.) along with her parents, brother William Nelson, Jr. and sister Vivian Nelson. She had two uncles Minor Smith (Buck), Jimmy Thompson, an aunt Madeline House and a first cousin Maggie Brown, who was like a sister. Melvina received her certificate in nursing and enjoyed caring for others.

She later met William “Bud” Love and married him in 1953, a marriage that lasted over 65 years. She also worked at Foster’s and Wally’s beauty shop for several years. She and her husband had a love of travel and toured the country in their Volkswagen Love Bug.

She was also very proud of her Mustang. In their travels Melvina and her husband collected decorative plates with graphics of each state, which they proudly displayed on their dining room wall. They enjoyed traveling and discovering new places.

Melvina and Bud enjoyed their annual trip to Denver to visit family and friends, for a week of BBQ, blues music and fun. Her loving brother William “Billy” Nelson joined them on many of those trips to Colorado. Melvina’s gift was her way of making people feel at ease by telling a joke or listening carefully to their stories.

She loved cooking holiday dinners with all the trimmings and seeing the delight in her family’s faces as they indulged. To the very end Melvina was talking about cooking dinner and making sure everyone had what they wanted. She didn’t want anyone to be left out.

Melvina is preceded in death by her parents, sister, uncles, and her husband William “Bud” Love. Melvina lived through four generations and leaves to cherish her memories her brother William Nelson, Jr., and cousins Brenda Burch-Fonville (Johnny), Ronald Brown, and Willa Burch-Jones (Carnell), a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. She will be missed, but never forgotten.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at Lawrence A. Jones and Son’s Funeral Chapel Linwood. Visitation 12:00 P.M. Interment Odessa Cemetery.

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