MILLIANS: An angel on earth

Published 3:30 pm Tuesday, January 14, 2025

They must have been thinking of Meldra Harris Panchelli when they wrote the definition of spunky.

Her daughter called her spunky. Several friends — to Meldra, everybody was a friend and everybody was on a first-name basis — also used “spunky” in describing her.

“Courageous, high-spirited, brave, and determined” are all words used to define spunky.

That was Meldra, who passed away last Friday at the age of 102. They’ll honor her on Thursday during a service at her beloved First Baptist Church, where she was a member for more than 70 years.

“She believed in what was right,” said Ike Thomas, another long-time member at First Baptist. “The right way of doing things and the right way of treating people.”

Milledgeville lost one of its saints in Meldra.

She was a small lady, but she packed a big impact on Milledgeville and Baldwin County. Twice a widow, Meldra vowed that being a couch potato was no way to lead your life.

Meldra was still driving at the age of 100 and delivering for Meals on Wheels as she had done for 20 years. She liked to joke that her driver’s license was good through 2027.

She volunteered in many capacities at the local hospital, including helping at Harriet’s Closet, which assists women in their recovery from cancer. Meldra was a 60-year breast cancer survivor.

Peggy Moxley-Coward, before her cancer treatment, remembers Meldra giving her a bag from Harriett’s Closet “with wigs, caps and things — before I even thought about losing my hair.”

Meldra was a regular volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, helping build 18 houses. She said her job was to climb underneath houses and install insulation. Others said she provided a lot of the food for Habitat volunteers.

The long list of her community involvement includes serving as a foster parent, raising seven babies; a dental health volunteer for Baldwin County Schools and Georgia College & State University; and serving on the American Cancer Society board of directors.

But it was at First Baptist Church where Meldra spent so much of her time — and she loved every minute of her service to the Lord.

After joining First Baptist in 1954, Meldra was a member of many church organizations.

She taught Sunday School and was a member of the Women’s Missionary Union and Morning Baptist Women bible study.

She was very proud to be an ordained deacon, serving as deacon chairman and deacon secretary. She served as church secretary for half a decade before retiring in 2006.

In other words, when First Baptist opened its doors for any activity, Meldra was there.

When she was on the bereavement committee, Meldra was famous for her chocolate pound cakes.

When the church elevator stalled, Meldra knew the right combination to get it moving again.

When the pilot light on the church’s kitchen stove went out, they called on Meldra to reach down low and light it.

If you were listed in the First Baptist directory, you got birthday and anniversary cards from Meldra. “The U.S. Postal Service will go broke without Meldra,” Moxley-Coward said laughing.

If you lost a loved one, Meldra was there with a remembrance.

When Meldra found out Nancy Rice Thompson’s rabbit named George had died, she made a contribution to the church in George’s name.

Of course, Baptist churches have more committees than Congress, and Meldra was on just about all of them, at one time or another, including the historical committee.

She was always willing to serve the Lord any way she could.

“First Baptist, to me, is God’s house,” Meldra told me in an hour-long conversation we had last November in connection with a book I’m working on that covers the last 50 years of the church. “It’s my church, your church, God’s church. I’ve always felt comfortable there. Everybody — and I do mean everybody — has always been so friendly.”

The online tributes to Meldra are spot-on:

“She was always so thoughtful, always so upbeat . . . ”

“What a precious lady and such an inspiration to others . . . ”

“If ever there was an angel on earth, she was one.”

Spunky, yes, Meldra was always ready to do what needed to be done. She was also kind, thoughtful and caring.

“When I leave this earth,” Meldra told me, “it’ll be from First Baptist Church, because that’s been my home, my job, and the best way I know to serve the Lord.”

Well done, good and faithful servant.

—Rick Millians, who grew up in the First Baptist Church, can be reached at rdmillians@aol.com.