Melba Lee Toppah

Funeral services for Melba L. Toppah will be held Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Complex in Red Rock, Oklahoma.
Melba was born July 10, 1936 in Pawnee, Oklahoma and passed away Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 in Carnegie at the Carnegie Tri-County Hospital.
Mrs Toppah worked as a secretary at Chilocco Indian School for many years and also at the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Ernest Toppah; her son, Skip Toppah of Red Rock, and his children, Brady, Reggie and Lorena Jo; her daughter Teri Toppah of Carnegie and her children, Ila, Carla and Tony; her daughter Dawn Toppah Parker of Norman and her children, Mariah, Torrel and Ariana; her brother, Logan DeRoin and his wife, Kathy, of Broken Arrow, their children and grandchildren; her 13 great-grandchildren Heidi, Jaimen, Owen Jace, Jraden, Niya, Vivian. Georgia, Jordan, George Jr., Vailee, Deveric, Draven and Quinlee, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was an accomplished bowler, competing in the Arkansas City. Kan., area and she traveled across the U.S. to compete. Melba took the top lead at the National Bowling Championship in Tulsa. During the 1970s, Melba won the American Indian Exposition singles’ classic bowling tournament.
A big Oklahoma Sooners fan, Melba also enjoyed cheering on the teams of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Her family and friends will miss her so very much.
She was preceded in death by her father, Milburn DeRoin; her mother, Lorena K. DeRoin; her grandparents, George and Grace Kihega, Susie and John DeRoin, a grandson and a great-grandson.