Everett Melton joined his wife of 71 years who went before him, (in Heaven) as well as his Lord and Savior, "The King". Everett was 96 1/2 and always so faithful to attend church- even as of last month I prayed with him. He would always find a way to be in church no matter how he felt or how old he was or was not or with or without a wheelchair. He and his wife were one of the Sunday night "faithful ones". He always had time to listen or talk to you- and shared that smile of his with you. We used to visit along the hiway when he was Pilot car driving and I worked at scales for WUTC. You could tell his priorities and what was important to him- God, his family- and he had room to make you part of his family too. Service is Tuesday at 11am at Wenatchee First Assembly. I look forward to meeting him and others on the other side-I believe Heaven is Real- I hope you will join us and have made your reservations. Please don't ever gamble on that issue.- Life may be short but Eternity is Not.
Not all sermons I hear come from the pulpit on Sunday mornings- Many come from friends God placed in my life for a reason. Thanks Everett Melson for "living sermons" for me in how you treated your family, your wife and even me. Thank you to his children on how they honored their father by example and all they did for him in his final years. I am sorry I will be out of town and cannot attend the funeral on Tuesday.
December 1, 1927 ~ June 30, 2014
Everett A. Melton; The BEST Dad, Grandfather and Great-grandfather anyone could ever have. The Lord chose to take him home on June 30, 2014. His work here on earth was done and he was ready to meet his wife of almost 71 years, Imogene W. Melton. Everett passed away at Confluence Hospital; he was 96-1/2 years old. He was born to Calvin and Clara Melton December 1, 1917, in Violet, AR. He really wanted to live to 97 years of age, the same age that his mother lived to be. In his early days, Everett worked with his father in the coal mines, which you didn’t get paid unless you found coal. Following the sudden passing of his father when Everett was only 15, he continued to live with different family members in Arkansas until 1939, when he moved to Wenatchee, where he took a job working for ten cents an hour in the orchards. He returned to Arkansas in 1940, where he met and then married Imogene Melton on December 24, 1940, (they woke up the Justice of the Peace to marry them). They moved back to Wenatchee January 15, 1941. Later, his father-in-law moved up for health reasons and slowly all the Melton and the Johnston families followed. Everett was the main reason that many family and friends landed in Wenatchee.
Everett served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945 during WWII and was first stationed in North Fork Virginia, before serving time in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans aboard the Destroyer USS O’Brien and Battleship USS Wisconsin. Everett’s ship was a part of the fleet during the invasion on Okinawa Island. He was injured during a Kamikaze attack upon the USS Wisconsin. Everett was awarded the Purple Heart from his service in the Pacific and Silver Star from his service in the Atlantic. He was also aboard the USS Wisconsin at the time of the formal Japanese surrender and three days later, was in Tokyo Bay as a part of the occupying force. Everett was honored to be able to go on the Honor Flight back to Washington D.C. as a WWII Veteran in 2012. He really enjoyed seeing Washington D.C. and sharing it with his daughter. After WWII, Everett worked for Coca-Cola for many years, before starting a 28-year career at Alcoa Wenatchee Works, where he retired. During that time, he was the secretary for the Aluminum Union Trade Counsel for Alcoa and also member of Aluminum Brick and Glass Local #310. Everett later owned Central Washington Pilot Car Service, which he operated with his daughter, Darlene. During this time, he became known as “Hoghead”. This CB handle came from a time when he was driving down Wenatchee Avenue and a hog got out of his truck. Everett was seen running down the Avenue trying to catch him.
Everett loved going fishing and bird hunting with his dog, Tina and enjoyed taking his son with him. Playing dominos with his grandsons and great-grandsons was very enjoyable and he would also pass the time doing crossword puzzles. He would also spend time helping his son, Cal, as the “supervisor” on fencing jobs, where he would make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the crew. Everett loved having a BIG garden, that he would share others. His rose garden was very special and he would always bring Imogene roses, because she enjoyed the smells. The two of them spent a lot of time canning vegetables and fruit from their garden and fruit trees. Everett had a favorite canning recipe for his pickles and loved the zucchini bread that his daughter, Darlene, made from his garden. His signature dish was made-from-scratch cornbread, a side dish of pinto beans with an onion from his garden; everyone loved his cornbread. Everett and Imogene loved to travel and joined their children on many vacations, including a trip to Pearl Harbor. Everett viewed many of his friend’s names on the plaques of the Arizona Memorial. He was blessed to enjoy one last trip to Arkansas, this past October. Watching baseball and wrestling with his son became common after the passing of his wife. However, his little dog Ramon became his constant companion and brought him so much joy. Whenever “Papa” would go out to eat, he would always save some to take home, because Ramon would come up and smell his breath to see what he’d eaten and wished to have some as well. They were best buddies.
Everett really shared a lot of himself to many people. He cared for his family very much and loved to spend time with his grandchildren, always kidding around with them. The most important thing to Everett, was that we would all meet again in heaven. That was his final statement before he passed away. His family and friends will deeply miss him and he will always be in our hearts. Dad and Grandpa Everett, we will meet you and Grandma Jean in heaven!
Everett was preceded in death by his wife, Imogene; parents; two sisters, Pearl Harvey and Lela Markum; a grandson, Scotty Daniel Curtis. He is survived by his son, Calvin (Liz) Melton of Wenatchee; daughter, Darlene (Dan) Curtis of Malaga; grandchildren, Katrina (David) Anderson of Wenatchee, Todd (Cathy) Melton of Wenatchee, Kevin (Amanda) Curtis of Butte, MT, Chad (Shauna) Melton of Mountlake Terrance, WA, and Cary (Christa) Melton of Wenatchee; great-grandchildren, Brenden Copner, Grant Anderson, Dalton Anderson, Everett Anderson, Gage Melton, and Grace Melton, all of Wenatchee, and Dylan Melton and Devon Melton of Mountlake Terrance, WA; a brother, Albert Melton of Leavenworth; a sister, Vesta Harvey of Michigan; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Everett attended the First Assembly of God Church in Wenatchee. He was a member of American Legion Post 10 and a 70-year member of Riverside Lodge #112, where he was a Charter Member, and Past Master of William H. Jett Lodge #285. Everett, his son, Calvin and grandson, Chad, became the first three-generation family in Lodge at the same time. Everett was very active in Lodge until the end.
The family would like to thank, Dr. Bethany Lynn, Dr. Cummings, Dr. Schroeder, and the staff at Colonial Vista Therapy. And a special thank you to all the nurses who he would tease and laugh with up until his last hours.
Visitation is scheduled for Monday, July 7, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Telford’s Chapel of the Valley, 711 Grant Road in East Wenatchee. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 8, 2014, at Wenatchee First Assembly of God, 1520 McKittrick Street, Wenatchee, with Interment and Military Honors presented by the Wenatchee Masonic Lodge to follow at Wenatchee City Cemetery. Donations, on Everett’s behalf, may be made to the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society. Arrangements made by Telford’s Chapel of the Valley.
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