Visitation:
Friday, April 12, 2019
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Service:
Friday, April 12, 2019
Following the Visitation
Phyllis “Jeannette” (Popham) Mellott, 87, of Plymouth, passed away Friday, April 5 at Willard Mercy Hospital, following a sudden illness.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 34 years, Milton “Tug” Mellott; sons, Richard Lahmon and Ronald Lahmon, and their father, her first husband, Richard “Silvey” Lahmon; one granddaughter; two great-granddaughters; an infant brother; and her parents, Gail and Cledith Popham of Utica, OH.
Jeannette is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Milton Edward (Karen) Mellott, Richmond, VA; Michael (Barbara) Mellott, Olathe, KS; Pam Lahmon, Willard, OH; and Connie Lahmon, Plymouth, OH; grandchildren: Amie Anderson, Almont, CO; Brandi Vargas, Overland Park, KS; Traci Frankart, Attica, OH; Sarah Lahmon, Willard, OH; Amber Arms, Shelby, OH; Reese Lahmon, Norwalk; Andrea Knapp, Richmond, VA; Andrew Knapp, Kill Devil Hills, NC; Audra Watson, Richmond, VA; Annette Mellott, Richmond, VA; Marcus Mellott, Richmond, VA; Benjamin Mellott, Merriam, KS; and Elizabeth Mellott, Gardner, KS; 20 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
Jeannette was born June 9, 1931 in Homer, OH and grew up in Utica, OH. She and Tug moved to Plymouth in 1953. Once her sons were all in school, she worked at Miller’s Hardware and Fate Root Heath Company. Over the course of more than 20 years she became ‘Nana’ to nearly 90 children, for whom she provided loving in-home childcare and became an extended part of their families. Each birthday and Christmas she received an impressive stack of cards from many of these and so many friends. These meant so much to her she kept them all, along with pictures of the flowers she received, so she could remember how lovely they were. In later years she tended to ailing friends, helping them stay in their homes as long as possible.
Having grown up during the Depression, Jeannette abhorred waste and took meticulous care of her home and all that was in it. As her grandchildren grew, she delighted in presenting toys that their parents had played with, usually still in the box and in working order. Those who loved her filled her home with windchimes, magnets and paperweights featuring butterflies, birds and flowers, which brought her much joy.
A kind and gentle soul, she missed the simplicity of days gone by. She had no use for foul language or what passes as entertainment these days. Tug had always said they didn’t go to a movie unless it was made by Disney. Jeannette was ahead of her time in that she was generally accepting of all people. She had a knack of befriending people who others saw as difficult, shrugging it off as “just the way they are.”
The family will receive friends at the Secor Funeral Home in Plymouth, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2019. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Cemetery in Plymouth. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.