Remembering Melvin
We are saddened that Melvin is gone, but we celebrate his wonderful life and look back with joy on our friendship which not only spanned almost our entire lives but which also included Duane, Neal, and Lynn plus Melvin's parents and my parents (Hugh).
Melvin and I both grew up on family farms in the Olympia, Washington area where our families were acquainted through church and also shared major ongoing interests and collaborative projects related to the challenges faced by small family farms.
We both graduated from Olympia High School in 1954 where Melvin played French horn in the school band. We kept in touch over the decades, first by occasional visits while both stationed in Germany in the military, and then through summer visits to our parents in the Olympia area plus occasional trips to BC from there.
We remember Melvin and Jeannine's extensive yard of flowers and numerous fruit trees at Aldergrove, BC, and especially the large quantities of delicious homemade cider which Melvin made, including different flavors produced from the different varieties of apples he had planted earlier! We also recall in relatively-recent years his re-roofing of the house, a huge project. And that of course pales in comparison to the original construction of the house which he and Jeannine personally and successfully accomplished!
Melvin was no stranger to difficult projects and long-range planning. Thus at age 18 he enlisted in the Air Force in early 1955 in order to catch the soon-to-expire WWII GI Bill supporting college education. Expecting to join an AF band, Melvin was instead given Air Police training! But after transfer to Germany he managed to win the favor of the director of an AF band, and was able to spend most of his tour playing the French horn!
Thank you for all the wonderful memories, Rest in Peace, Melvin!
Hugh & Grace Thompson
Dec. 5, 2024
