Melba Darlene (Stubbs) Kelsey, 89, of Hutchinson, passed away on September 9, 2026. She was born July 11, 1937, to Curtis and Velda (Huffman) Stubbs in Sterling, Kansas.

Melba and family moved from Sterling to Wichita in 1941 as her father was drafted in WWII to work at Boeing on the B29 program. This started her lifelong character to create strong family bonds and memories, and taking care of her siblings and friends. During WWII, the family yard was the playground for all serving families in their neighborhood, but during this time she also went to Cunningham a lot to be close to all their Huffman relatives. The family moved back to Sterling after WWII to rejoin all the Stubbs family there and then they moved to Hutchinson in 1948.

Melba graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1955 and from Grace Hospital School of Nursing in 1958 and became a Registered Nurse. This started her journey as a lifelong nurse serving and caring for so many people in many ways. Melba worked as a maternity nurse in several hospitals across Kansas for many years and worked as an Industrial Nurse at Winchester Packing Company. In the evenings and any free time she had Melba would take care of her grandmother, parents, and several close friends.

Melba left work in Hutchinson to take care of her sister in Atlanta, Georgia. After returning to Hutchinson, she was called to work at Hutchinson Heights for disabled adults, several nursing facilities, including 22 years at Wesley Towers, and using all her skills and experience to be sought out and earn a state-wide reputation for geriatric nurse care. Through all this period, Melba also worked 3-4 outside contract nurse jobs to support her children to attend school and also provide nursing care for several of her friends.

On top of all these nursing jobs, Melba was also an active board member of the American Red Cross of Reno County, teaching first aid and running blood drives. Melba was also a national American Red Cross disaster nurse leader and coordinator for disasters across the USA, such as Hurricane Katrina, multiple hurricanes in Florida, and the Greensburg tornado. After retirement, Melba continued to complete her annual CEU requirements to keep active her Register Nurse license. Melba also enjoyed being on the board of the Hutchinson Community College Alumni and Friends.

Melba raised two children: Mark (Shannon) of Charlotte, North Carolina and Mike (Dianne) of Hutchinson. Melba was blessed and so proud of her five grandchildren, Tyler Kelsey (Nicole), Zach Kelsey, Jason Kelsey, Tal Kelsey (Carter), and Claire Kelsey and two great-grandchildren. Melba has three living siblings: Curtis (CA) of Newton, Kansas; James of Saanich, British Columbia; and Thomas of St. Louis, Missouri.

She is presided in death by her parents and her beloved sister Karen of Atlanta.

A major joy in Melba’s life was to connect and keep in contact with so many cousins and relatives and going to all the many Huffman family reunions. She was always going to visit all her siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.

Melba was a convert to the Catholic faith and became so deeply involved in the Catholic Church; and developed a very strong connection to Jesus, Mary, Joseph and many saints. Melba was active in so many faith building activities that she created many awesome friendships within the Holy Cross Catholic Church family. Melba, along with several other parishioners, started the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Melba loved the daily Mass, Rosary, Devotions, Eucharist Adoration, Cursillo, the Ministry of Consolation, serving for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, an active participant in many bible and faith building studies, and talking to anyone that wanted to discuss the catholic faith, even when she was in the hospital. We pray Melba’s heavenly bank is abundant from her Catholic faith and all the people she served and took care of in their needs.

Parish Rosary will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 14, 2026, with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11:00 a.m., both at Church of the Holy Cross, 2631 Independence Road, Hutchinson. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. in the Sterling Community Cemetery (in the Morris/Stubbs family plot). Friends may sign her book from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at The Church of the Holy Cross, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.