VANDERHAM, Melba (Mel) Arleen

Heritage Funeral Chapel, Peoria, Arizona Melba "Mel" Arleen Vanderham joined her Savior on Sunday, December 9, 2012. She was born in Bowie, TX on January 11, 1944 to the late Willis and Loleta Barclay. Mel was the wife of Daryl Vanderham. She was preceded in death by her first husband Melvin L. Stewart in 1992. Mel began her career as assistant to the managing editor of her local newspaper. She went on to work as an administrative assistant to management at Texas Instruments in Houston, TX and Agents Marketing Center in Tempe, AZ. The work she loved the most was as a church secretary/office manager, where she spent over twenty years, serving the Northwest Church of Christ in Glendale, AZ for fourteen years. She considered her most important and fulfilling job to be a mother to her two sons, and she excelled wonderfully at that. In addition to her husband Daryl, Mel is survived by two sons Chris Stewart and Cam (Danielle) Stewart, sister Coleen Fiebiger, three step-children Robert (Sharon) Vanderham, Lisa (Charles) Walker and Kimberly (Manny) Barros. Also surviving are three grandchildren Micah, Liberty and Isabella and nine step grandchildren Noah, Tyler, Samantha, Dylan, Rachel, Zachery, Michael, Miranda and Colton, six nieces and nephews Leah, Chad, Kimberly, Brent, Stacy and Phillip. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother Kenneth Barclay. Memorial service will be held on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at Northwest Church of Christ, 5110 W. Union Hills Dr. Glendale at 10:30 AM. Burial will follow at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix.