Melverda E. Cross , 80, of Cleveland, Tennessee, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday evening December 3, 2016.
"Bert" as she was know by family and friends was the daughter of the late Hubert Henry Eckstein and Willie Elizabeth Wilburn Eckstein; and was also preceded in death by her sister, Virginia Eckstein Wooten.
She was born in Ardmore, AL on Nov. 21, 1936. She attended The Dickinson School in Chattanooga, and shortly thereafter met and married her husband of 64 wonderful years, George W. Cross. After their marriage, Bert and George moved to the naval military base in San Diego, California. After his military service, the couple relocated to Cleveland, TN, and made it their lifelong home.
She is survived by her husband George W. Cross; one son Terry A. Cross and his wife Cindy of Georgetown, TN; one daughter Cherie Cross Ervin and her husband Neal of Cleveland, TN.; three grandchildren, Piper Cross Wilson and her husband Stephen of Apison TN, Brad Ervin and his wife Caroline of Knoxville, TN and Laura Ervin Johnson and her husband of Nashville, TN; four great-grandchildren Cooper and sister Caroline Wilson of Apison and Westley; sister Eleanor Ervin of Knoxville; siblings Linda Eckstein Melton and Bill Eckstein of Cleveland, TN and Kenneth Eckstein of Dalton, GA and their wonderful families.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that you make a donation in Bert's memory to a local Christmas charity for children or the American Kidney Foundation. While our hearts are broken over the loss of our loved one, she left us with a lasting legacy of love. We are holding fast to the promise that because of Christ's sacrifice for us on the cross and His great gift of salvation for those that would receive Him, we will one day be together again.
A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 7 at Companion Funeral Home located at 2419 Georgetown RD NW, Cleveland, TN 37311. Interment will follow the services at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Patrick Melton, Dexter Cross, Tony Wooten, Darrell Eckstein, Kenny Eckstein, and Dan Johnson will serve as pallbearers.
The family will receive friends prior to the service at the funeral home on Wednesday from 1-3 p.m.
Companion Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.