Melba Marie Boman, daughter of original enrollees Roosevelt Bacon and Josephine (Woods) Bacon, turned 100 years old in December.
Family and friends celebrated her at a special birthday party at Meadow Lake Ranch, in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, during which she was ceremoniously inducted into the Centenarians of Oklahoma club. Later that month, Melba was honored to be visited by Chief Gary Batton, Assistant Chief Jack Austin, and Councilman Eddie Bohanan at her home. She also was the guest of honor at a birthday party held at the Choctaw Nation Community Center, in Talihina, Oklahoma.
Melba, born in Whitesboro, Oklahoma, has lived her entire life in Choctaw Nation and has long called Talihina her home. In fact, she was a modified diets supervisor at the Talihina Indian Hospital before retiring from Indian Health Service in 1973. Since retiring, Melba has enjoyed spending more time with her family, which now spans five generations that include one daughter, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren. A biography about Melba will be added to the Oklahoma Historical Society’s collection in the near future, in which she offers this advice to young people: “God and family are the most important. Educate yourself and remember that God gave you life and is always with you. Whatever you’ve accomplished has been with His help. Give Him thanks and teach your children about the power of prayer.”