Melba Spoo

Melba Anna Zabel Spoo, 82 years, 9 months and 20 days, entered the kingdom of Heaven at The Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan, KS on May 26, 2010. A funeral service was held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 1, at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton, KS. The Rev. Terry L. DeGiovanni officiated. Nila Haefner played the organ while the congregation sang “How Great Thou Art”, “Amazing Grace” and “Abide With Me”. The pallbearers were Randy Slifer, Adam Daniels, Ron Raub, Larry Ketter, Ed Banker, Stuart Vitosh and Mike Farrell. The honorary pallbearers were Stan Winslow, Dennis Sedlacek, Bob Medlin, Norman Schmutz and Dean Constable. Burial was in the Frankfort City Cemetery. Melba was born at the home in Hanover, KS, on August 14, 1927, daughter of Anna and William Zabel. She grew up on the farm on the state line in Gage County Nebraska. On September 18, 1927, she was baptized. On April 6, 1952, she was confirmed at the Immanuel Lutheran Church Terril, Iowa. The Bible verse she chose for her confirmation was John 14:6 "1 am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Melba had to walk both to country school (1 mile) and high school (4 miles) and received her 8th grade diploma from Dist. #88 Gage Co., Nebraska in May, 1941 and from Odell High School Odell, NE with the class of 1945. During high school she took the classes necessary to teach in Nebraska and after high school taught at District 44 Jefferson Co near Fairbury, two years at District 87 Gage County near Lanham and in District 7 Pawnee Co. near Pawnee City. She took summer classes at Kansas State University. In 1951 she married Everett W. Spoo. They lived on a farm in Northern Iowa, where two sons, Arlin E. and Larid D. were born. Melba and her sons moved to Frankfort, KS in 1960. For many years she took care of the elderly. When her mother needed help at her rural Winifred home Melba moved to that home help until Anna became a resident of the Frankfort Community Care Home. She played an active role in the farming operations from helping in the field, hauling grain, and before cell phones taking phone messages and taking such messages to the field. Melba loved children and cherished her 10 years at Marysville preschool and years as a Literacy aide for the lower grades of the Frankfort Schools. It especially made her happy when the children would come up to her and say "Miss Melba" and "Mom, Miss Melba lets us read to her". She also helped with Bingo at the FCCH and baked and served pies at the care home soup day. She was a member of RSVP, receiving her 20 year pin in 1997, Women of the Moose, St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wheaton. Melba had a wonderful smile that would light up her face and loved supporting her grand children and great grand children in their activities when she could. She was preceded in death by her mother and father; brothers, Ivan Beran and Walter Zabel; sisters, Mildren Behrens, Laura Wilson, Lulu Pilant, and Minnie Scheele, daughter-in-law, Joy Spoo; and grandson, Aaron Spoo. Survivors include two sons, Arlin Spoo and wife Arlene Kay, Frankfort, Larid Spoo and wife Tammy, Winifred; grandchildren, Arnie (Sara) Spoo, Topeka, Jessica Spoo, Holton, Linda(Chris) Lathem, Wichita, Jeff (Kristi) Stieben, Crooks, SD, Adam Daniels, Columbus, OH, Olivia Daniels Dayton, OH, and Emily Daniels, rural Winifred; great-grandchildren, Abby, Madison, Reagan and Andy Lathem, Olivia and Brookelyn Stieben; several nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Memorials may be made to St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wheaton, and sent in care of Padden Funeral Chapel, Frankfort. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Melba Spoo, please visit our flower store.