Elsie Loren Cowley Peterson Melton passed from this life Wednesday, February 26, 2003, in the Jefferson County Hospital at the age of ninety-two. She was born June 29, 1910, to M.M. and Fannie Cowley in Sunset, Texas. The eldest of eight children, Mrs. Melton grew up on the family farm, went to school at Sunset, and after graduating from high school she married Cale Peterson in Ringgold, Texas, where they made their home. They farmed and ranched in Ringgold until 1945, when the family moved to Waurika, Oklahoma. They remained in Waurika until Cale died in 1959. She later married A.J. Melton of Hastings, Oklahoma where they made their home until he passed away. Mrs. Melton was a member of the Ferguson Home Demonstration Club, the Eastern Star of Duncan, Chapter 214, and the United Methodist Church in Waurika.

Survivors include: one daughter - Margaret and her husband Junior Richardson of Waurika, OK; three step-sons - Mike Melton of Oklahoma City, OK, Gary Melton of Duncan, OK, and Thomas Melton of Maryland; one brother - George Cowley of Chico, TX; two sisters - Barbara Montz of Dallas, TX, and Lucy Wines of Oklahoma City, OK; three grandsons - Mark Wekch of Byers, TX, Tommy Richardson of Waurika, OK, and Jeff Richardson of Medicine Park, OK; one great-granddaughter - Ashley Richardson of Medicine Park, OK; and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, M.M. and Fannie Cowley, her daughter and son-in-law, Evelyn and Jim Welch, three brothers, T.G. Doc Cowley, James Cowley, and Curt Cowley, and one sister, Della Mae Dye.

Funeral services for Mrs. Melton were at 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 1, 2003, at the United Methodist Church in Waurika with Reed Montgomery officiating. Burial was in the Waurika Cemetery under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Waurika.