Ada Lee Rumbaugh Fielden

Ada Lee Rumbaugh Fielden was born on April 7, 1921, on a farm outside Melrose, New Mexico. She and her twin, Maida, were the youngest of 8 children, including another set of twins, born to Charles and Evie Rumbaugh. Ada's parents, along with their three oldest children, traveled by covered wagon in 1908 from southwestern Missouri to eastern New Mexico to homestead there, where Ada and four other siblings were born. Ada was the last surviving sibling of the group of 5 sisters and 3 brothers.

Ada grew up during the Great Depression and the "Dust Bowl" of the 1930's, and lost her father when she was 13. After his death, the family moved from the farm into town. She began her schooling in a one-room school house near the family farm, and finished high school as the valedictorian of her graduating class of 23.

In 1947, she married LeRoy Fielden. Together they operated several small family groceries in small towns in eastern New Mexico and west Texas for several years, until LeRoy began a career in sales. They had two daughters, Eileen (Allen) Bartlett, and Teresa (Ed) MacAlmon, along with two granddaughters, Amy (Sam) Bashiti, and Leah Martin, one great-granddaughter, Lucy Bashiti, as well as a grandson, David Martin, who preceded her in death. Ada also had two step-granddaughters, 7 step-great-grandchildren, and one step-great-great-grandson.

After LeRoy's death in 1979 and her retirement shortly thereafter, Ada moved back to Melrose, where she was active in the Melrose Senior Citizens Center and in the First Baptist Church of Melrose. Until her declining health in her early 80's made it too challenging, she indulged her lifelong love of flowers and plants by maintaining a large flower garden and several fruit trees, as well as her love of all sorts of arts and crafts, ranging from embroidery to ceramics to oil painting. She also enjoyed time with her siblings there for a number of years until their deaths, as well as with many nieces, nephews, and great- nieces and -nephews.

In 2004, Ada relocated to Louisville, Kentucky to be closer to her daughters and granddaughters. She was a member of Crescent Hill Baptist Church and the Agape Sunday School Class in Louisville. She passed away peacefully in the early hours of Jan 10, 2013, at the age of 91.

Her family is grateful for her gentle spirit and example of lifelong faith, rejoices that her mind and body are whole once again, and is comforted with the knowledge that she is with many loved ones, including her beloved LeRoy, as well as her brothers, sisters, and grandson.

Visitation will be at 1:00 PM on Saturday, February 2, with a Memorial Service to follow at 2:00 PM, in the Chapel of Crescent Hill Baptist Church, 2800 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206. Interment will be at Melrose Cemetery in Melrose, NM, at a later date.

Expressions of Sympathy are requested to Memorial Fund of Crescent Hill Baptist Church.