Melba Jo Reinhard Chron (1925 – 2023)
Melba Jo Reinhard was born November 6, 1925 to William Nicolas and Georgia Blanche Todd Reinhard in the oil fields of Electra, Texas. She grew up in Mangum, Oklahoma where she attended school through her sophomore year. After graduation at Westover, Texas, she, with an earned scholarship, attended North Texas College at Denton, Texas, just long enough to qualify for a teacher’s certificate.
During World War II, she began teaching at Ralls Public School in, Ralls, Texas where she met her future husband, E.C. Chron, who was home on leave from the U.S. Navy. She and E.C. were married at Chula Vista, California on March 30, 1946 and lived in San Diego, California until E.C. was discharged from the Navy. They were married almost 62 years. Four children were born to this union—Clint, Josa, Deanna, and Tami.
Melba Jo, believing Romans 10:9 and 10:13, was born again in January 1955 and was baptized in the First Baptist Church at Ralls, Texas. In 1957, E.C. and Melba Jo, with their children, moved to Anchorage, Alaska where they lived for 14 years. E.C. pastored Baptist churches, later serving as the State Missions Director for the Southern Baptist Convention.
Melba Jo was an elementary teacher for a total of 24 years—3 in Ralls, Texas, 9 years in Eagle River, Alaska, and 12 years in the Carrollton/Farmers Branch I.S.D. She retired in 1985.
She was preceded in death by her husband, E.C. Chron, two brothers, Bill Reinhard and Leon Loyd, a sister, Patricia Johnson; two grandsons, Michael and Eric Perry; and one great grandson, Hunter Boydston.
Survivors are, one son, Clint Chron and wife, Janet of Chandler, Arizona; three daughters, Josa Perry and husband, Mike of Afton, Virginia; Deanna Sauerzopf and husband, Bruce, of Frisco, Texas; and Tami Jones and husband, Gary of Carrollton, Texas. Also surviving are five grandchildren Belinda Boydston and husband, Anthony of Gilbert, Arizona; Daniel Jones and wife, Rachel, of Richardson, Texas; Anna Glover and husband, Aaron, of Dallas, Texas; Ben Jones and wife, Vicky, of Dallas, Texas; and Ivan Sauerzopf of Frisco, Texas; and eleven great grandchildren Kathryn and Madalyn Perry of Raleigh, North Carolina and Lauren Perry of Waxhaw, North Carolina; Remington and Kensington Boydston of Gilbert, Arizona; Jackson, Claire, and Emma Glover of Dallas, Texas; Audrey and Luke Jones of Richardson, Texas; and Joshua Jones of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by three sisters-in-law: Berta Cornelius; Minnie Orm; and Della Chron; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held at the Ralls Funeral Home on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. with the burial of E.C. and Melba Jo in the Ralls Cemetery immediately following the service.