On Sunday, May 8th, 2011, Melvin D. King, Sr. passed in his sleep at his home in Helena at the age of 87.
Mel was born September 5th, 1923 in Nashua, MT to Nora King Torgerson and James King. He attended schools in Helena and Placid Lake, MT and in 1943 Mel joined the United States Navy, serving aboard the USS Anchor, a salvage and rescue ship as a coxswain. Mel was discharged from the Navy in February, 1946 and returned to Helena where he met and married Margaret Applegate in November of 1946. Mel and Margaret spent the next several years moving around the state where Mel worked for several different construction and plumbing contractors while he pursued his vocation as a plumber. He attained his Master Plumbers License in 1965, which he held until his retirement after 20 years of service at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center.
Mel was a cowboy at heart, regaling his grandchildren with many stories of winters at Placid Lake, where he used to walk across the frozen lake to get to school, and play with the Indian children when they came to gather huckleberries on the lower end of Owl Creek. He also told of growing up in the Nashua area. Mel was an accomplished horseman, and owned several racing quarter horses that he raised at his home in Helena. He was involved at the beginning of The Last Chance Stampede, and a member of the Helena Trail Riders, and the Mounted Patrol of the Shrine. Mel was a fifty year Mason, and a member of Ottawa Lodge #51, Marysville, MT. Mel was also an avid bowler, and was still bowling as a sub up to the end of last year. Mel also enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping, and sitting by the campfire telling stories to his grandkids at Placid Lake. Mel and Margaret were blessed with three children, Mel Jr., Susan, and Nora.
Mel was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Nora, his wife of 53 years, Margaret,
his son Mel Jr., sisters Leta Swain, Nona Bramble, Margie Reuterdahl, and Dottie Landon, and brothers Warren King and James King. Mel is survived by his daughters Susan (Gary) Schmidt of East Helena, and Nora (Steve) Wriston of Helena, Grandchildren Jason (Molly) Schmidt, David Ekman, Jeff Schmidt, and Cody Wriston of Helena, and great-grandson Keller O’Connell Schmidt of Helena.
Military graveside honors and Masonic services will be held Monday, May 23, 2011 at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison at 11:00 A.M. with a reception to follow at the Fort Harrison Service Club. Memorials may be made in Mel’s name to Friends of Hospice Foundation, 800 Front St., Helena, MT 59601; Ottawa Lodge #51, PO Box 5256, Helena, MT 59604-5256; or a charity of your choice. To offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Mel, please visit www.retzfuneralhome.com.
Service Schedule
Service Schedule
Share
flossie says
Sorry to hear about Mel Sr. He was a kind, gentle, considerate individual.
He now is resting eternally with Margaret and Mel Jr. and I am sure he is smiling.
Ronda Scott says
Your dad was a gentle kind man and I thought the world of him. He bowled the seniors for many years and it was a real pleasure to talk to him. He will be greatly missed.