Melba Jean Molberg

Early on Monday morning, December 9, 2024, Melba Jean Beall Molberg, age 94, transitioned peacefully from this mortal life to her precious eternal reward. Melba was born into a large sharecropper family on August 25, 1930, in Pulaski County AR, near Jacksonville. She was the 9th of 12 children (5-boys, 7-girls) born to her mother, Nellie. As many in rural AR, Melba was born into poverty, but the family never went without food, although limited, and always found ways to sustain themselves through farming and helping one another.

Of the 7-girls born to Nellie, Melba was the 5th in order. At a young age she learned on her own how to play her mother’s piano beautifully. She learned all the many tasks expected to become an exceptional mother and homemaker. She learned to sew and make her own clothes at a young age. With all her many talents, she blessed her family. At the age of 9, some members of Melba’s family attended an Assembly of God’s brush arbor revival meeting where she received a life changing experience by the power of the Holy Ghost. She never forgot that incredible experience. When she was 15, in 1946, Rev. A.O. Holmes came through north Pulaski County, in the Cato area, and held a revival service, which Melba attended. Her experience with The Lord was renewed again with the power of God’s spirit. Over the years of her life, her faith became more and more steadfast, as God was preparing her for the many trials and tribulations that life would bring to her.

She was an avid reader, and she entrenched herself in reading The Bible and spending much time on her knees in prayer. With her sisters, Mary and Margie, they formed a gospel singing trio and were known as The Beall Sisters Trio where they would travel to various churches around the USA singing in beautiful harmony and testifying. She married and eventually settled in Southern California where she had 2 boys, Mark and Michael. Never an idle time did she have while being a homemaker: crocheting, making clothes, having a purse-making business called Melba of California. She attended an Apostolic church in Bellflower, CA where she was the church pianist and organist. She was a Sunday School teacher as well.

Challenging life events brought her back to Arkansas and she attended church in Jacksonville, Lonoke, and eventually made her way back to her spiritual roots by attending First Pentecostal Church under Pastor Joel Holmes. Melba spent those days in Arkansas supporting her boys and took on a great blessing of caring for her Down Syndrome brother, Charles (the family called him Bub) for 28 years until his passing in 2003. She also worked for many years at the Arkansas State Revenue department as a data entry operator where she later retired at age 65. Melba’s greatest adventures in her life was being able to tour Israel where she rode a camel, floated in the Dead Sea, visited all the important biblical sites in Jerusalem, and stayed a few weeks with a loving Israeli family that her son Mike had befriended by meeting Yael Alon from his initial visit to Israel. Melba was so enamored by America’s state parks. She made trips to California’s Yosemite, Sequoia, and Death Valley parks. Other places like Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Manhattan, historical sites in Georgia and Kentucky. Melba loved to read about the history of The United States, and she read many books about Israel and the plight of the Jewish people, whom she loved.

Melba is preceded in death by her husband, William Molberg, parents Owen and Nellie Beall, her brothers and sisters: Otha, Murvin, Troy, LaVerne, Virgil, Ruth, Mary, Terril, Marcella, Charles, and her beloved son, Mark Immerman.

She leaves behind two sisters, Margie Tackett (Kenneth) and Alca Best; a son Michael Immerman, one granddaughter Holly Immerman and two grandsons, Joshua Immerman (and Joshua's mother, Opal) and Benjamin Immerman.  Melba also loved her step-daughter, Kim Martin (Nathan) and  step-sons, Michael Molberg and David Molberg, step-grandchildren: Lucas Golde and Morgan Eldridge (Jimmy); and step-great-grandchildren: Jaxon and Josalena Eldridge. She was loved by all and leaves behind a host of family and friends who were dear to her.

Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, AR  72114.  501-758-1170.