Mrs. Melbia Benson

BENSON, Mrs. Melbia - Age 77, passed away Thursday, January 10, 2013 at McLaren-Flint. Family hour 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 19, 2013 at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1083 E. Stewart Ave., with funeral service commencing at 11 a.m. Pastor Lewis Randolph officiating. Interment Lovedale Memorial Cemetery, G-5175 E. Bristol Rd. Friends and pallbearers now lies assemble at the church 10:30 a.m. Mrs. Benson will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12 noon-8 p.m. today. Mrs. Melbia Dean Benson was born May 8, 1935 in Louisville, Mississippi, the daughter of Joe and Ludie (Hoskins) Brown. Melbia was employed at Heartland Manor before retiring with 36 years of service. She loved her family, sewing, cooking, casino trips, shopping and gardening. Melbia also enjoyed movies starring Denzel Washington and collecting wind chimes and elephant figurines. She leaves to cherish her memory: daughter, Kim McNeal; 2 sons, Joe (Barbara) Brown and Gerald Benson, all of Flint; 2 stepchildren, Albert Benson, Jr. and Diane Benson of Alabama; grandchildren, DeAnte, Symphani, Ashanti, Sioni, Ky-Mani, Brandie, Candace, Timetrice, JaMareon, Jordan, LaTonya, Delano, Joe Jr., Colette, Jeanette and Stephanie; 24 great-grandchildren; mother, Ludie (Hoskins) Yarbrough of Flint; step sister, Roxie Lewis of Las Vegas, NV; 2 step brothers, Vernon Yarbrough of Flint and Les Paul (Pearl) Yarbrough of Las Vegas, NV; 4 aunts, Catherine Riddle of Chicago, IL, Bernice Jean Miller, Joy Miller, both of Ashtabula, OH and Mae Ellen Miller of Louisville, MS; 2 uncles of Ashtabula, OH; daughter-in-law, Beatrice Benson of Flint; 2 sisters-in-law, Callie Mabry of Detroit, MI and Fannie Mae Broom of Las Vegas, NV; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins other relatives and friends including special cousins from Chicago, IL, and special friends, Stella Miller, Wanda Faye Morris, Marcia Brown, Goldie McEwen and Angelina Mason. Mrs. Benson was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Benson; son, Timothy Benson; daughters, Ann Gibson and Janice Brown-Turner; grandson, Charles Bauswell; father, Joe Brown; stepfather, Walter Yarbrough; brother, Theodis Brown; very special aunt, Mary Johnson; and cousin, Terry Miller. The family would like to express special thanks to Hurley Medical Center Burn Unit Nurses, Geriatric Healthcare Associates and McLaren-Flint ER staff and Pastor Lewis Randolph and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church family.

Mrs. Melbia Benson

May 8, 1935 - January 10, 2013