Melrose Amburn Rhyne

Melrose Amburn Rhyne, 94, passed away peacefully on Nov. 2, 2026, in Boiling Springs, S.C. Born on May 10, 1932, in Mount Airy, N.C., Melrose was the daughter of the late Eldridge W. Amburn Sr. and Ila Amburn. Raised as a farmer's daughter in the Ladonia community of Surry County, N.C., she learned early on the values of faith, family and a strong work ethic that guided her throughout her long and abundant life. She was, above all, the glue that held her family happily together. In her youth, Melrose was a talented athlete who loved playing basketball for Lowgap School and went on to play semi-professional basketball. In 1952, she married the love of her life, North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper James P. Rhyne Jr., beginning a devoted union that spanned 58 cherished years until his passing in 2010. She worked as a bookkeeper at City Hall in Mount Airy from high school graduation in 1950 until 1963, when the family relocated to Titusville, Fla. There, she served as a bookkeeper for the Brevard County Clerk of Court until 1983. Upon retiring from Brevard County and returning to North Carolina to settle in Robbinsville, she continued her public service with Graham County, where she helped implement the courthouse's first computer system. She later worked part-time on the switchboard at Fontana Village until about 2008. A devout Baptist and an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Melrose lived her faith daily through kindness and service. She was an avid gardener who found great joy working in her yard and tending to her plants. Above all, she was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She cherished hosting her grandchildren during the summer, instilling in them a deep love of the outdoors and the same strong work ethic that defined her own life. A lifelong sports enthusiast, she also loved keeping up with basketball and football games. Melrose is survived by her loving children: her daughters Catherine Rhyne Zayatz and her husband, Richard Zayatz and Susan Rhyne Worner and her husband, Doug Worner; her son, James P. Rhyne, III and his wife, Heather Rhyne. She leaves behind a cherished legacy in her five granddaughters, Lorie Rhyne Leal, Ashley Rhyne Miller, Nicole Worner Carmenates, Crystal Worner Walsh, and Emily Zayatz Collins, along with five great-grandchildren. In addition to her beloved husband, James, and her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Francis Amburn Thompson, and her brothers, Eldridge W. Amburn, Jr., Ross Amburn and Jerry Amburn. Heritage Funeral Home, Valdese, N.C.: www.heritagefuneralservices.com will be conducting a graveside service for Melrose Rhyne at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Ladonia Baptist Church, 163 Raven Knob Rd, Mt. Airy, N.C. Visitation will follow in the church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Masonic-Eastern Star Home and Orphanage. Heritage Funeral Service and Crematory are handling arrangements.

Melrose Amburn Rhyne

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