of Little Rock, AR

March 28, 1922 - July 10, 2020

Melbadine ''Melba'' Magnus passed away Friday, July 10, 2020 at her home in Parkway Village, Little Rock, Arkansas.Melba was born March 28, 1922 in Hatcher Hospital, Wellington, Kansas to Sidney Neal Greathouse and Cloa Seitz Greathouse. Her family lived on a farm near Anson, Kansas until she was 5 when they moved into Wellington. They spent two years in Arizona for Melba's health when she was in elementary school.

Melba studied at Kansas State University until she married Harold on October 4, 1942. They soon moved to Port Arthur, Texas where they raised their family of four children. Melba was active in Trivium Club, and PEO. She and Harold taught Sunday School and were members of The Methodist Temple. Melba was devoted to her four children. She led a Campfire Girls group, chaperoned youth groups, led a Cub Scout Den, and was active in the PTO. She baked hundreds, if not thousands, of cookies for school and other events her children participated in. When her first three children were in elementary school Melba returned to college and finished her degree.Melba taught remedial reading at Thomas Jefferson High School. In later years she and Harold purchased a second home and spent half of each year on Maui, Hawaii at the Hale Pau Hana. They loved their Maui Ohana. They traveled extensively during those years. Melba moved to Little Rock, Arkansas in 2012. She was a faithful member of the Bible Church of Little Rock.

Melba was a true keeper of her family stories and passed them down to her children and grandchildren. One story Melba told was of the time she was reprimanded by the Dean of Women at K State . The ladies knew it was against the rules for them to wear pants. But the business department met in the engineering building way across campus from where the girls lived. As winter came it was terribly cold, and the ladies in the business department started wearing pants to their morning classes across campus. They were reprimanded, but apparently not punished. Melba said she did not stop wearing pants, she remembered that, but it remained against the rules. Before the Christmas break one of the engineering classes that Harold was in went to the dean as a group and plead the case for the female students. The Dean relented and Melba was in the first class of ladies allowed to wear pants at K State. Women at K State owe a debt of thanks to the ladies of the business school that year!

Melba was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Harold A Magnus.

Melba is survived by three children, son Harold Neal Magnus and wife Carol Wallace; daughter Carol Lynn Leonard and husband Stanley Richards Leonard; and James Paul (Jim) Magnus and wife Kimberlee (Kim) Misenhimer. She was predeceased by her oldest daughter Judy Kay Magnus Maddox.

She is also survived by grandchildren Duane Wesley Magnus and wife Polly Lambert; Suzanne Nicole Magnus; step grandchild John Anthony McCann and wife Jessica; Michael Thomas Segrest and wife Claudia Arat; Christopher Todd Segrest and wife Sarah Wickham; Jennifer (Jenny) Leonard Thrash and husband Todd Randal Thrash; Douglas Sidney Leonard and wife Young-A Lee; Jamie Kathleen ''Katie'' Magnus; Claire Magnus Scheideman and husband Blake Ames Scheideman; Rebekah Annette Magnus; John Michael Magnus; and Stephen Bruce Magnus.
Great-grandchildren are Jonathan Pierce Magnus, Madeline Grace Magnus, Michael Dylan Segrest, Samantha Rose Segrest, William Isaac Thrash, Isabel (Izzy) Marie Thrash, Elizabeth (Elli) Sabine Lee Leonard, Benjamin Davin Lee Leonard, and Ames Elliot Scheideman.

Family graveside burial service will be held Tuesday, July 14, in Austin Cemetery, Sumner County, Kansas.

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