Melba Dean Johnson Adams Story Burgin

Melba Dean Johnson was born on July 11, 1941, out on the Davis property in Seedtick, Texas in a sharecropper’s cabin to Dewey Johnson and Willie V Norton Johnson. The baby was delivered with forceps and had bruise on the side of her face and had to be laid on her side for a day.

Melba attended the Eden School House- a one room school. In first grade she learned the multiplication tables from overhearing the 3rd grade students recite them. Melba graduated salutatorian from Douglass High School in 1959. Her mama always told her, “Honey, get your education, that’s something no one can take away from you!” She graduated from Stephen F Austin College in 1963 with a Bachelor’s degree. She began teaching in Alto ISD the first year that Alto integrated their Black and White student population. She later taught school in Hudson ISD until 1980. She graduated from Southwest Texas with a Masters and became a guidance counselor for 23 years. She was a counselor for Thrall, Thorndale, and Tomball ISDs. She worked a total of 44 years in Texas public education, she retired twice and still missed the kids.

She honored her father and mother. She received the Holy Ghost at age 16 in a tent revival in the Eden community. She was a faithful wife, a devoted mother and grandmother, a church pianist and Sunday school teacher. Many people called her friend and said, “she always had a smile on her face”. She loved sending and receiving cards. She marveled at babies, and young couples in love- she thought love was a twittersome thing . She believed if you owed a debt you paid it. She stood for the flag and for a prayer. She would speak out against an injustice. She believed grandchildren were, “the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” (Neil Postman)

Melba had two daughters, Sharon and Sonya.

Her most often quoted verse and piece of advice:

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Our world is a poorer place for Melba’s departure.

A graveside service will be held at Alazan Cemetery, FM 225, Nacogdoches, Texas 75964, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 10:00 am.

Arrangements are under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.