Ronald Duane Mellem, 80

Ronald Duane Mellem passed away at age 80 on Jan. 17, 2020, at his home in Yuma, Arizona.

Ron was born June 4, 1939, in Kalispell to LeRoy and Irene Mellem. He grew up in Somers and lived briefly in Cusick, Washington, before returning to Kalispell a few years before graduating high school in 1957.

Ron joined the United States Army in 1962 and reached the rank of specialist E-4 when honorably discharged in 1964. On leaving the military, he moved to Seattle where he worked with Boeing as a design draftsman from 1966 to 1970. In 1970, he left Seattle and returned home to Kalispell and joined the United States Forest Service as a civil engineering tech with a specialization in photogrammetry. He would work there for the next 25 years before retiring in 1995. While he thought he was done working, he often helped out at his wife’s business when another hand was needed.

In 1979, he found the love of his life and married Bernice Butterfield in Kalispell.

Ron loved the outdoors of Montana, and lived for summers of water skiing and golf, followed by winters on snowmobiles. He loved watching football, especially as a long suffering fan of the Seattle Seahawks. When none of those were available, he would happily spend hours sitting on the deck listening to radio and reading.

He was survived by his wife of 40 years, Bernice, his son Brian and his sister, Cheryl Seyfert, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents LeRoy and Irene Mellem, and his brother Roger Mellem. His kindness and ready wit are deeply missed.

A memorial will be held in his and Bernie’s memory at their house in Kalispell on July 3, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to the Gary Sinise Foundation.