W. W. Melton's Obituary
W. W. ?Woody? Melton
Services for W. W. ?Woody? Melton will be held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, 2003 at the Rader Funeral Home Chapel with the Reverend Dewayne Beatty officiating, with music by soloist, Harlan Hall and pianist, Mary Hall. Burial will be in Memory Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview. The family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, 1617 Judson Rd.
Mr. Melton, the youngest of six children, was born June 30, 1912 in Longview, to John Robert Melton and Ida Virginia Farmer. He and Mary Summers, his wife of 61 years, married on March 8, 1942.
Mr. Melton was preceded in death by his sister, Edna Melton Starr; older brothers, Earnest Melton, J. R. Melton, Bill Melton, and Lee Melton; and a son-in-law, Richard Byril ?Dick? Rathbun.
Woody graduated from Longview High School most remembered as an outstanding basketball player. At the age of 26, he was elected Gregg County Commissioner, Precinct 1, where he served two terms. Gregg County Airport, Harmon Hospital were built during his terms. He retired in 1982 as an independent oil operator. For more than 50 years he was an active member of the Business Men?s Bible Class at First Baptist Church of Longview.
Mr. Melton is survived by his wife, Mary Summers Melton; daughter, Sue Melton Rathbun; granddaughters Kelly Leigh Rathbun Jennings and her husband, Jeremy of San Antonio, Stacy Lynn Rathbun of Longview; great granddaughter, Kelsey Lynn Rathbun; great grandson, Hunter Gavin Jennings; brothers-in-law, Joe Summers and his wife Sissie of League City, and Tommy Summers and his wife Rubie of Lake Conroe. Amoung his special nieces and nephews, he is survived by Betty Melton Huffman and her husband, Jerrell of Longview and Bernice Starr Kay and her husband, Roy of Mount Pleasant.
Memorials may be made to a church or a charity of choice.
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