Melionee Allen Echols

Mrs. Melionee Allen Echols, a native of Lucedale, Mississippi and a resident of Mobile, Alabama since retiring in Washington D.C. in 1993 died Saturday, November 8, 2025. She was born April 9, 1923 to James (Jim) Murdoc and Ada Tanner Allen. She married Dr. Hamp William (Bill) Echols on September 1, 1956.

Melionee graduated from Perkinston Jr. College, Perkinston, Mississippi, received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Home Economics Education and Science from the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi; a Master of Science in Management and Family Living from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. Advance studies toward a Ph.D. were at Mississippi State, State College, Mississippi; Colorado State University, Ft. Collins Colorado; Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi; University of Iowa; Mississippi College, Clinton, Mississippi; and Milsap College, Jackson, Mississippi. Mrs. Echols’ Master thesis on “Identification of Management Problems of Young Homemakers Married in their Teens” was well recognized, being used as a foundation for the Oregon State Extension Service Educational Programs for young homemakers throughout the state for several years. She was invited to present the findings of her research involving 50 young families at the National Home Economics Association.

Melionee’s work experience consisted of serving as Head of the Home Management Department at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and at Belhaven University, Jackson, Mississippi as Assistant Professor. For 16 years she worked as an Assistant then an Associate Extension Home Economics Professor with the Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service through Mississippi State University at Booneville and Pascagoula, Mississippi; New Mexico State University at Roswell New Mexico; Louisiana State University at Alexandria Louisiana and Oregon State University at Corvallis, Oregon. She also worked for 9 years in the field of Dietetics and Food Service serving as a Dietitian and Director of the Dietary Department at Doctors Hospital, Jackson, Mississippi, as Educational and then Clinical Dietitian on two different occasions at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. While living in Florida, Melionee was Director of Food Service and Dietician at the Liberty County Retardation Center in Bristol. When in Panama City, Florida, she designed and taught a pilot program on “Management and Care of the Elderly and Homebound” for the state of Florida. She retired as Management Analyst for the Office of Special Investigations, at the United States Air Force Headquarters in the Pentagon, Washington D.C.

Melionee and her husband were active in the various Baptist Churches to which they belonged throughout the U.S. during their 50 years of marriage. They were instrumental in helping to organize a church while in Corvallis, Oregon at the time they worked at and attended Oregon State University. The “Hamp W. and Melionee Echols Scholarship” which was established for deserving men to study for the ministry at Southeastern Baptist College, Laurel Mississippi has been awarded to many since its inception in 1986. She and her husband have also established the “Dr. Hamp W. and Melionee Allen Echols Chair of Evangelism,” a teaching position, at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Mrs. Echols never met a stranger and will be remembered as one who laughed a lot and had a positive attitude always seeing the bright side of life. She loved to travel and to entertain her friends. She had empathy for the less fortunate and valued many friends. “The Peddler’s Daughter”, the story of her life, depicting her experiences growing up during the depression, living during the war years and her married life when she and her husband lived in and traveled the four corners of the United States.

Melionee was preceded in death by her parents, James (Jim) Murdoc Allen and mother Ada Tanner Allen; husband, Dr. Hamp (Bill) Echols; two sisters: Mrs. Jessie (Pearl) McDonald; Mrs. Aubrey (Bertha) Stonecypher; and her brother, Mr. Virgel (Mary) Allen all of Lucedale, Mississippi.

She is survived by three nieces: Mrs. Patrcia Allen Vester, Mobile, Alabama; Mrs. Shirley McDonald Green, Wade, Mississippi; Mrs. Cynthia Allen Strahan, Mobile, Alabama and two nephews: Mr. Darwin (Janice) Allen, Mobile, Alabama and Dr. Wayne (Sandra) Stonecypher, Brandon Mississippi, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services will be held at Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home 6040 Three Notch Rd, Mobile, Alabama 36619, Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 2:00 pm, followed by interment in Mobile Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers a contribution may be made in Melionee’s memory to the Echols Scholarship Fund at Luke 4:18 Fellowship Church, 2664 Sollie Rd. Mobile, Alabama 36695 or to the charity of one’s choice,