Roberta Mellene (Norton) Schudy was born July 29,1940 in Kansas City MO to Melville Morgan Norton Jr and Florene Elizabeth Jones Norton, and went to be with her Savior on March 3, 2025 at the Kabul Nursing Home in Cabool MO. Mellene was a 1958 graduate of Branson High School. She was united in marriage to John McIntosh Schudy on Friday, June 13, 1958. Two children were born to this union: John McIntosh Schudy Jr and Joanna Mellene Schudy.
Mellene was a courageous woman with a servant heart. She made her community better through her dedication to God’s people and her church, serving as a childrens Sunday school and Sunbeams leader, coordinating a van ministry, serving as church parliamentarian, and helping in numerous other ways. She made her community better through civic service, coordinating bloodmobile, involvement in Chamber of Commerce, spearheading the Tri-County Fair, and leading 4H. She made her country better through her involvement in Republican politics, serving as a county committeewoman and legislative district committeewoman. She was also a proud member of leadership teams in Federated Republican Women’s clubs, forming and leading local clubs, and as district and state fundraising chair; parliamentarian, treasurer, corresponding and recording secretary, second and first vice-president and president of the Missouri Federation of Republican Women, and as Chief Sergeant-at-Arms of the National Federation of Republican Women. Mellene was also proud to serve as a Presidential elector in 2008.
Mellene was a hospitable woman, who loved nurturing others through food. She and John blended their hospitality and patriotism each year at their 4th of July anvil shoot. Mellene made cakes and homemade ice cream, and John would shoot the anvil to celebrate the nation they took such pride in.
On April 12, 2013 Mellene’s life took a dramatic shift, as she took a fall that left her an incomplete quadriplegic. No longer able to put feet and hands to her service of others, Mellene poured her heart into serving through the ministry of prayer. If you expressed a concern to her or her children, you could be assured that Mellene brought your concern to her Heavenly Father for His hand and guidance. She also wrote short poems to inspire and comfort people in times of challenge. Mellene spent 7 years at home under the care of her husband John, until in 2020, his health forced him to place Mellene in full-time residence at Kabul Nursing Home. The family wish to thank the caregivers and staff of Kabul Nursing Home for their outstanding care in the last 5 years of Mellene’s life .
Mellene was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, John; her parents, Mel and Flo, and her brother Mel Norton III, “Skippy.” She is survived by her children, John Schudy Jr. (Janet) of Halfway, MO, and Joanna Perkins (John) of Linn Creek, MO; 3 granddaughters, Hilary Bybee (Kyle) of Kansas City, MO, Elizabeth Brady of Jefferson City, MO, and Courtney Betts (Christopher) of Olathe KS; 5 great-grandchildren, her sister, Elizabeth Severance of Covington GA, many nieces and nephews, and many “children of the heart” too numerous to list.
