Melvie Root

Melvie Kathryn Root, 80-year-old Big Cabin Resident, passed away February 5, 2018 at the Heartsworth Nursing Rehabilitation Center in Vinita. She was born April 6, 1937 in Morrow, Ohio to Earnest Leonard and Inez Emily Pearl (Oren) Clifford. Being the oldest of Pete and Inez's four children, she was both big sister and mother to them all. As a young child she recalled a time when a troop train full of soldiers stopped at the local depot. The soldiers called out to the little blonde-haired girl of about 6 years. She rewarded their interest with a song and dance and gleefully recounted the story of all the nickels they tossed out to her there on the platform. She used some of that money to buy her first ice cream sundae. At the age of 16, after a whirlwind romance and intervention by her grandmother, Melvie married Vernon Richard Root Sr. in Camden, Ohio on June 28, 1953. She stood steadfastly by Vernon's side for all the days of his life and nearly 45 years of marriage. He remained the love of her life to the very end. Melvie moved to Big Cabin in 1978. She was a mother of nine, a homemaker, and a member of Big Cabin Baptist Church. She was active in her church teaching Sunday School when her children were young and, more recently serving the Clothes Closet ministry. Melvie was very active in her children's lives serving with them in the Girl and Boy Scouts. She considered mentoring, coaching and pushing her youngest son all the way to Eagle Scout to be one of her crowning achievements. She enjoyed reading, puzzles, coloring, and anything that had to do with nature. Her love of rocks led her to attend a geology course with her youngest daughter at the local college "just for fun!" She enjoyed traveling to the coast and hunting sea shells, joking after the ones that crawled away as if they were depriving her of diamonds. Melvie took her first plane ride on her 76th birthday. Above all she loved being a wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved opening her house to any child needing a place to stay. She never met a child she didn't love. Preceding Melvie Root in death are her parents Earnest and Inez Clifford; her husband, Vernon Richard Root Sr; two children, Vernon Richard Root Jr., Christopher Gerald Root; two great granddaughters, Destinie Nicole Black and Birdy Lynn Black; and a brother William Harrison Clifford. Survivors include children, Donald Vernon Root of Vinita, Oklahoma; Earnest Homer Root and wife Becky of Big Cabin, Oklahoma; Kathy Sue Black and husband Donald of Big Cabin, Oklahoma; Crystal Lee Pleasant and husband Eddy of Mannford, Oklahoma; James Allen Root and wife Teresa of Welch, Oklahoma; Melvie Jane Martin and husband Lincoln of Chelsea, Oklahoma; Jarred Levi Kendall Root and wife Krissy of Layton, Utah; twenty-nine grandchildren; numerous great grandchildren; siblings, Robert Clifford of Diamond, Ohio, Larry Clifford of Big Cabin and Judy Davis, of Big Cabin; many other relatives and a host of friends. Visitation for Melvie Kathryn Root will be held 6-8 pm Friday, February 9, 2018 at Luginbuel Funeral Home Chapel. Services for Melvie Kathryn Root will be held Saturday, 10:00 am, February 10, 2018 at the Big Cabin Baptist Church with Pastor Donald Lee Black officiating. Burial will follow at the Big Cabin Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Luginbuel Funeral Home of Vinita. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com

Visitation Details

Friday, February 9th, 2018 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Service Details

Saturday, February 10th, 2018 10:00am, Big Cabin Baptist Church

Interment Details

Big Cabin Cemetery