Cover photo for Melba Anne Vest's Obituary
Melba Anne Vest Profile Photo
1923 Melba 2018

Melba Anne Vest

August 17, 1923 — January 17, 2018

Melba Anne Robinette Vest passed away Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Melba was born August 17, 1923 to the late Ethel Jones Robinette and Will Robinette in the Cathey’s Creek Community in Hampshire, Tennessee. She attended Isom School, Columbia High School, and the University of Tennessee. In 1947 she married the late Ruskin Alexander Vest of Mount Pleasant who passed away in 2004. A lifelong member of the Church of Christ she attended Main Street Church of Christ in Mount Pleasant. She was always interested in community affairs and devoted many efforts to the education of others, in particular, Columbia Academy, Freed-Hardman University, and David Lipscomb University. She encouraged and supported the education of her five grandchildren. She was a member of the James K. Polk Society and the Tennessee Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution. Melba was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend and will be dearly missed.

Melba is survived by two children Eleanor Vest Howard of Edisto Island, South Carolina and her husband John Ball Howard and Ruskin Alexander Vest Jr. and Karen Caffy Vest of Columbia, Tennessee. Also surviving are five grandchildren Sarah Ethel Howard of Charleston, South Carolina, John Ball Howard and wife Carey Howard of Golden, Colorado, Ruskin Alexander Vest III, Rachel Elizabeth Vest Kennedy and husband Samuel Delk Kennedy III and their children Margaret Berry and Samuel Delk Kennedy IV, and Margaret Anne Vest of Laramie, Wyoming. Amy Workman was a dedicated caretaker and friend. She was preceded in death by four brothers: Ross Jones, James Ashley, Carl Hunter and Will Cecil Robinette and two sisters: Sarah Elizabeth Robinette and Mary Robinette Evans.

The family will visit with friends on Friday, January 19, 2018 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm as well as from on Saturday, January 20, 2018 from 1:00pm until 2:00pm at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia. A Service will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 2:00pm at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia with John Vaughn officiating. Interment will follow at Arlington Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be: John Howard, Justin Robinette, Hunter Robinette, Kenneth Weiss, Earl Bentz, and Alexander Vest.

Honorary Pallbearers will be: Ricky Boshers, Eddie McKennon, Jimmy Lott, Ron Dinwiddie, Tim Holt, Jim Hutcheson, and Vance Brummal.

Memorials can be made to Columbia Academy in Melba’s honor.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Melba Anne Vest, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Friday, January 19, 2018

5:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)

Williams Funeral Home in Columbia

2517 Trotwood Ave, Columbia, TN 38401

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