Rita Sebastian Melvin

She graduated from Albany State University with an associate's degree in nursing. She married Eugene Melvin Jr., MD. She had a career in nursing for Grady Memorial, Nursefinders, Lucerne Hospital, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, and Dermatology/Plastic ENT Physicians.

Rita had a passion for reading, cooking, baking, shopping, traveling to Europe and West Palm Beach.

Rita was the ultimate hostess and always made guests feel special by her beautiful smile, her welcoming greeting and her love of cooking and baking. She had wonderful Fourth of July, Halloween, Christmas festivities that all her friends and family enjoyed.

Rita was the ultimate caretaker, of her son when he was gravely ill as a teenager, her mother with her progression through Alzheimer’s, elderly friends with regular visits to check on their health and all the patients that found comfort in her care while in the ER, ICU, and burn units.

She was gracious in the full sense of the word and never had a negative thing to say about her closest friends. She brought her husband’s estranged son and his wife back into the family by her reaching out to him through Facebook.

She loved traveling, especially to New Orleans where life was not complete without beignets and chicory coffee from Cafe Du Monde. New York City and the Times Square was a yearly event for many years to see a plethora of plays and musicals.

She dressed with impeccable style and spent hours getting that makeup just right and matching shoes, jewelry, clothing and purses that added such a wow factor to such a beautiful woman.

During her last days on this earth, she was deeply suffering and in pain and would not cry out but quietly asked for relief. On the day before she went to the Lord’s home, she stated “I want to go home.” Her prayer was answered and she is without pain or suffering now and is in the arms of her Savior Jesus.

She taught us lessons in humility, tolerance and kindness and made this world a better place.

Rita is survived by her husband, Eugene; children, Alexander Avery Melvin and John Ashley Thurman and siblings, John Michael Laramore, Tony Sebastian, David Sebastian, Linda Tarkenton and Mike Jones.

A celebration of life for Rita will be held Friday, July 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Woodlawn Memorial Park & Funeral Home, 400 Woodlawn Cemetery Road, Gotha, FL 34734.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Rita's favorite charity, stjude.org.