Melba Eleska Dubbs was born July 27, 1926 to Maurice E. and Nellie Rose (Rufenacht) Dubbs on the family farm west of Ransom (Old Highway 4).

She attended Ransom Grade School, in the same building as her Father had attended.  She was like most children, having very few toys and learning to improvise with whatever she found, including making mud pies in jar lids.  She enjoyed sliding down the tinned roof granary on the farm, naturally sitting on a piece of waxed paper.

She began taking piano lessons and would later be the pianist for the choir in high school.  She began playing piano for the First Mennonite Church at age 15 and learned the art of playing the organ also.  She was a member of this church and was baptized in a farm pond near Ransom.  She also was choir director, a Bible School teacher in the summer and enjoyed singing for a time with some ladies who formed a cappella Sweet Adeline's group.  She enjoyed traveling to Hutchinson to listen to an (all night) men's gospel quartet music with her husband Les, Vona, Ron's family and Fred and Letha.  She was a Ransom Jr. Farmers 4-H leader for years and attended the Go-Getters Senior Citizens of Ransom.

She married Leslie Wayne Tillitson on January 24, 1945.  He departed this life on July 19, 1998.  They lived on the Tillitson family farm south of Arnold for 1 ½ years before moving to the present farm located three miles west of Ransom, for over 70 years. She moved to Rhode Island Suites in Ransom, June of 2019, and remained there until her death.  She lived in Ness County, KS her entire life.  Three children were born to this union:  Ronald, Jeanette and Vona.

She worked beside her husband on the family farm driving a tractor, grain truck and working cattle until failing health caused her husband to retire.  Even after their retirement, they found great joy in driving around checking crops, cattle and attending their grandchildren's events.  She always was ready to lend a helping hand whenever possible.

Through the years, she enjoyed planting a garden and took pride in her variety of beautiful flowers in the back yard.  If a person said they were going somewhere and asked her to go along, her reply was "Give me 5 minutes".  She loved taking family vacations to Colorado and picking up bells to add to her collection.  She never turned down a bell from other family members or friends.

She and her husband spent many hours building and operating their model railroad train and collecting antique toys.  A person would usually find them Saturday nights on dance floors, stepping lively to country western, waltzes and polka music entertainment with special relatives and friends, Oliver and Jennie, Elmer and Velma and Ambrose and Reita.

Many of you will recall that she wrote her own autobiography.  She never threw anything away and was able to complete a book for her children and grandchildren, filled with memories and pictures.  She said, "Memories are one of life's greatest assets a person can have and I am grateful for this opportunity.  Although I am not a rich woman in material things, today I have plenty of possessions in my life to satisfy me.  Most of all, I have a God to lead and guide me, to comfort and forgive me."

She was a kind and loving wife to Les for 52 years; Mother, Mother-in-law, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.  She never said a harsh word towards or about anyone.  She departed this life at age 94, on August 26, 2020.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son-in-law Al Albers, and sister Thelma Anderson.  She leaves to mourn her passing: children:  Ron (Carla) Tillitson of Burlington, CO; Jeanette Albers, Vona (Rick) Kraft all of Ransom; six grandchildren:  Wayne (Ting) Tillitson, Wade Tillitson, Wes (Linda) Tillitson, Melanie (Steve) Strickland, Lee Ann (Paul) Cramer and Wendy Pettit; 4 step grandchildren:  Megan (Tim) Ehrlich, Bridget (Martin) Mireles, Lindsay (Becky) Tillitson and Bailey Tillitson and her fiancé Cole Suddeath; 8 great grandchildren and 11 step great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Services will be held at The First Mennonite Church in Ransom on September 5, 2020 with Scott Briand (great nephew) officiating.  Interment will be in the Ransom Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to The First Mennonite Church, or the Grisell Memorial Hospital ISB Unit, (Rhode Island Suites) both of Ransom, in care of Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City, KS.

Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family by writing in the guestbook.