Melba Jean Vanlue

Greenwood - Melba Grubb VanLue, 87, passed away Sunday, December 5, 2021. She was born September 26, 1934, in Vincennes, IN. She was the second daughter of the late Virgil and Wilhelmina Schultz Grubb. She attended Franklin School through the eighth grade. She was a 1952 graduate of Lincoln High School, where she was a member of the 4-H club.

Melba, along with her parents and grandparents, the Schultz's, were charter members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Vincennes. Melba was baptized, confirmed, and married in St. Paul's. She always shared many happy memories of being a part of the growth, development, and life of the congregation there. Melba was fortunate to live in the same neighborhood with her maternal grandparents and her paternal grandmother, Melissia Gregory, who was a great influence in her life.

Melba worked for Good Samaritan Hospital and for a printing business in Vincennes. She also worked as a proofreader for the Vincennes Sun Commercial. She later moved to Indianapolis, where she was employed at Mayflower Moving and Storage. While living in Indianapolis, she shared homes with several roommates with which she developed lifelong friendships.

For a time, she also lived in Terre Haute, IN and worked for Modern Album. When her father died, Melba returned home to Vincennes. There she met Paul VanLue, a veteran who had just returned home from World War II. She and Paul married and began a family which included four children. Melba took great joy and pleasure in being a devoted wife and stay-at-home mother to their four children, Melissa, Paula, Vincent, and Jonathan. She served as a Girl Scout leader and shared her love of reading and her faith with her children.

Paul accepted a position at Greenwood Village Retirement Home in 1979 and their family relocated to Greenwood, IN. When her youngest son started school, Melba began working full-time again, this time as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the health center at Greenwood Village Retirement Home. She worked there until her retirement.

Melba's hobbies included painting ceramics, learning to crochet and reading. She enjoyed all styles of music and loved listening to Paul play his guitar. Paul was in a band, and she enjoyed attending many of their performances. During her retirement, Melba was very active in the lives of her grandchildren. She attended many of their sporting events, plays, concerts, graduations, and birthday parties.

She enjoyed playing solitaire and working word search puzzles, fill-it-ins, and crossword puzzles, making phone calls to shut-ins and family members, and attending lunch out with a group of retirees from church. Melba was a lifelong Lutheran and attended Advent Lutheran Church in Greenwood, IN and later Bethany Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, IN. Melba was known for her great capacity to love and be loved. She offered unwavering, unconditional love and support to those in her family and extended family which included coworkers, neighbors, and friends. Anyone separated from the family through divorce from one of her children did not remain separated from Melba. She maintained a loving relationship with 3 of her previous daughters-in-law.

Melba was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Wilhelmina Grubb; sister, Betty Mahrenholz; and son, Vincent VanLue. She is survived by her daughters, Melissa VanLue and Paula Jones and her husband, Timothy Woods; son, Jonathan VanLue and his wife, Tiara; grandchildren: Paul and Chrissy VanLue, Gerrick and Austin VanLue, and Larissa and Silas Woods; step-grandchildren: Travis, Nick, Ashley, Kiarra, Jiya and Mikyla; and 4 great grandchildren.

Melba's family will receive friends Friday, December 10, 2021, from 11 am – 1 pm at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4702 South East Street, Indianapolis, IN 46227. A celebration of her life will follow at 1 pm with Pastor Martin Bornhoeft officiating. A committal service will be conducted Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 11 am at Memorial Park Cemetery, 919 Willow Street, Vincennes, IN 47591.

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