Funeral for Anita B. Melcher, 91, Lawton will be at 1:30 PM Monday at the Becker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with Chaplain Leonard Reimer and William Bennett officiating. Mrs. Melcher passed away on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at a local care facility. Burial will be in Post Cemetery, Fort Sill under the direction of Becker Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Anita Melcher was born July 14, 1920 in Atlee, Oklahoma to Lee Roy and Laura Ehler. Her education included: elementary school at South Vernon, Texas until 1926, Tuttle/Wilson 1927-28, Comanche 1928-29, Ringling 1930-31, graduating from Waurika High School in 1939. She then attended and graduated from Draughon's Business College in 1939. She later attended Cameron State Agricultural College in 1959-60. She was employed by Civil Service in Washington D.C. from 1940-42 and at Old Post Headquarters in McNair Hall with General Brittingham 1942-1951. She met and later married a young OCS graduate, LT Ralph W. Melcher on November 8, 1946 at the Old Post Chapel, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. They spent their married life in Lawton, Japan, Germany, Washington, D.C., England, Michigan, Colorado, Nebraska and Texas. Being a military wife, Mrs. Melcher accompanied her husband on five tours of duty at Fort Sill, which included his serving with the 18th Field Artillery, the 6th Armored Field Artillery, and the Artillery School departments of Gunnery, Deputy Commander of Officer Candidate Brigade, Executive Officer of III Corps Artillery and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Modern Volunteer Army at the Artillery Center. She also accompanied him to his overseas assignments: Army of Occupation in Japan with the 24th Infantry Division, Germany with the 2nd Armored Division and the General Staff Headquarters Seventh Army. She was unable to accompany him on his two tours to Korea in 1950-51 with the 25th Infantry Division, and in 1967 as Battalion Commander of the 1/17th FA. The Melchers did their final overseas tour in England with the European Command Airborne Command Post. Other assignments for them included Army General Staff duty at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. and Post Commander Support Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. When her husband, COL Melcher retired in 1974, they made their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado until 1988. Anita and her husband Ralph were both Realtors while in Colorado Springs. In 1988 they relocated to San Antonio, Texas where they lived until 2006, when they returned to Lawton, where Anita's sister Jerre (Matthews) Butler lives, to live in an assisted living community. They lived in the local assisted living facility until January 2011 when Anita was transferred to a skilled nursing facility. Anita enjoyed most being with family, traveling, gardening in her flower beds and of course chocolate. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, COL (Retired) Ralph Melcher; a son, Mark Melcher and daughter, Laura Lea Melcher, both of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a grandson Brian Melcher and his wife, Anita, San Antonio, Texas and a granddaughter, Kaitlin Melcher, Colorado Springs, Colorado; two great granddaughters, Carolina and Annalisa Melcher, San Antonio, Texas; a sister, Jerre Butler and her husband Rick, Lawton; nephews, Mike Matthews, Fort Worth, Texas; Bill Winchester, Florida; nieces Patricia Bennett, Searcy, Arkansas; Rosalind Finch, Leeds, Alabama; Deborah Baker, Germany; and many other family members, friends and especially her loyal sitter and best friend, Julie Biehler, Lawton. Anita was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Lea Baker. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Oklahoma/Arkansas Chapter, 6465 S. Yale Ave., Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74136.