Roll Call Tribute

Melton O. "Mel" Denton 

February 11, 1932 - August 12, 2023 

Melton “Mel” O. Denton, loving husband and father, was called to eternal rest by our Lord Jesus Christ on August 12, 2023 at the age of 91 in Bastrop, TX, surrounded by his family. He was born in Dallas County on February 11, 1932, to the late Roscoe and Betty (White) Denton.

At the age of 20 he joined the United States Army. He served his country during the Korean Conflict earning the United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star and the National Defense Service Medal. After the military, Mel earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and his master’s degree from the University of Houston, both in mechanical engineering. Mel used that degree working 23 years at DuPont, both at the Florence South Carolina unit and the Victoria Texas unit. He was particularly proud of his work in the development of the co-generation unit at the Victoria plant. He also worked briefly at US Gypsum in Sweetwater and Alcoa in Point Comfort.

During his childhood, Mel's family moved to Mexia, TX. There he met a young lady named Edna Ruth Moore and on May 27th 1957, he married her. After moving around for a little while, they settled in Victoria, TX and raised four children.

Mel enjoyed gigging flounder and sail boating near Magnolia, TX. He loved to solve logic puzzles, memorizing poetry, and working in his vegetable garden. When the family moved to the country outside of Victoria, he planted more than a hundred pecan and fruit trees on the homestead. He loved logic puzzles so much that he installed a chalkboard on a wall in the dining room and the kids worked the puzzle with him after dinner. In life, Mel believed he could fix anything…and he often did - a true Renaissance man. In all that he did, Mel approached life with a kind and honest heart and will be terribly missed.

He is preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Opal Moore and Shirley Haley and one infant, great grandson Wynton. Mel is survived by his wife of 66 years, Edna Denton; two sons, Chad Denton and Clay Denton; two daughters, Jill Sumpter and Joy Crump; six grandchildren: Heather, Rebecca, Brian, Mandy, Hunter and Brandon. He is also survived by six great grandchildren: Brennan, Presley, Chandler, Lincoln, Graham and Memphis; nieces Lindy McCulloch and Cindy Haley Wadle, and a nephew, Jack Moore.

Services will be held at McCurdy Funeral Home, 105 East Pecan Street, in Lockhart, TX 78644, on Thursday, August 17, 2023, with visitation from 9:00 am - 10:15 am and a funeral service at 10:30 am. Burial will immediately follow at Jeffrey Cemetery (5544 FM713, Lockhart, TX, next door to Bethel Baptist Church) with military honors.

Pallbearers will be Hunter Crump, Brian Denton, Brandon Denton, Bill Sumpter, Jr., Chris Faust, and Efrain Montemayor.