A Celebration of Life for Mrs. Melvenia Allen Hale, 100 of Decatur, Alabama and formerly of Sylacauga will be noon, Monday, May 6, 2013 at St. Thomas United Methodist Church with the Reverend Richard Stryker officiating and interment to follow in Shady Grove Cemetery.  The body will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral with Community Funeral Home directing. Locally, the family wlll receive friends on Sunday evening, May 5, 2013 at 5:30 at Reynolds Funeral Home in Decatur and a Memorial Service will be held at 6:00  p.m.

A loving, supporting wife and mother; Melvenia Allen Hale was born 100 years ago to Palmer and Fannie Lawson Allen, in Talladega County, Alabama, on September 13, 1912. On May 1, 2013 in Decatur, Alabama, she went home to be with the Lord

Melvenia was a consummate mother and homemaker. An excellent cook, she enjoyed preparing meals for her family and friends. When Mrs. Hale wasn’t baking and caring for others she spent time working in her lovely flower garden.  She was employed as a beauty consultant with the Avon Company for 25 years in Sylacauga, Alabama. She was also employed by Avondale Mills and retired from that company after many years of service.

Mrs. Hale was a fashionable lady and enjoyed shopping for fabrics and designing her on stylish wardrobes. Looking beautiful was her forte and she enjoyed dressing and going to the beauty salon. You might call her a “Diva.”

Melvenia and Emmett Dean Hale united in Holy matrimony December 27, 1930. She and her husband were the parents of five children, three of whom preceded her in death, David, Gwendolyn and Carmenita.

 Expressing her love, she adopted her grandson, Kelvin and later raised Fred, from a very young age. She always encouraged her children to honor God. Mrs. Hale will always be loved and remembered by her family; B’Countess Hale Pope, Decatur, Alabama and Vera Hale Hall, Detroit, Michigan; Kelvin Claude Hale, Gary, Indiana and Fred Crum, Jr., Huntsville, Alabama. Grandchildren,  Danette Pope (Sterling) Cary, Olympia Fields, Illinois; Eric Pope, Decatur, Alabama; Kenneth Martin Hall, Detroit, Michigan; Roderick Jenkins, Oregon. Great grandchildren, Philip Cary, Sterling Cary, Marquis Hall, Marquan Hall, Marquix Hall, Jonathan Pope, Kiona Pope, Nicholas Pope, Kendrick Pope and Charles Pope; a sister, Fannie B. Patterson, Sylacauga, Alabama; nephews, William H. Peoples, Gregory Patterson, Sylvester Patterson, Elvern Hale and a host of relatives and friends, including Otis Jenkins.

Melvenia had an unwavering faith in God. She was the oldest member of St Thomas United Methodist Church in Sylacauga, Alabama; where she was actively involved in the life of the church. She served as president of the United Methodist Women and represented the unit numerous times at Camp Sumatanga and in other activities. She promoted attendance and involvement of the younger women of the church. She enjoyed music and each Sunday you would hear her and her husband in the church choir singing. After moving to Decatur to live with her daughter, Mrs. Hale joined King’s Memorial United Methodist Church, while maintaining her ties to St. Thomas. Although she was only at King’s Memorial for a short time, her love for God and people, especially children quickly endeared relationships with the church family. She never met a stranger. Melvenia recently celebrated her one hundredth birthday in Decatur. Over two hundred family members and friends, from far and near came to celebrate this milestone with her.

Flower bearers will be United Methodist Women and pallbearers will be Eric Pope, Kelvin Hale, Kenneth Hale, Sterling Cary III., Philip Cary, Kenneth Hall Jr., Fred Crum Jr. and the United Methodist Men.