Margaret P. Melvin

Margaret Petty Melvin of Denison, Texas was born in Amarillo, Texas on October 15, 1933 to Roy Cullen Petty and Nancy Elizabeth (Beth) Derrick Petty and passed away on January, 10, 2019.

Margaret’s family moved several times throughout Texas; from Amarillo to Kilgore, San Antonio, and then Dallas before settling in her father’s hometown of Crockett when she was thirteen. In 1950, she graduated from Crockett High School as valedictorian, the football sweetheart, and editor of the yearbook. Margaret graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with Honors with a B.B.A in 1954. She was a member of the Mortar Board honor society, the Orange Jackets honorary service organization, the Sigma Iota Epsilon national honorary and professional management fraternity, and the Alpha Phi Sorority. After graduating from college, Margaret worked for Adcock Laboratories in Austin before moving to Dallas to work at Texas Instruments for seven years. On May 6th, 1962, Margaret married the love of her life, William (Bill) Melvin, at the First Methodist Church in Crockett.

In addition to being a loving wife and dedicated mother to her three children, Margaret focused her considerable talents on serving her community. While in Dallas she was President of the Dallas League of Women Voters and a board member of Metropolitan Dallas Community Service. In 1976, she moved with her family to Denison, Texas where she served as the President of the Denison Service League, the President of the Denison Girl’s Club Board of Directors, a board member of the Grayson County Guidance Clinic, and a member of the Denison Planning and Zoning Commission.

Margaret was the historian of the national award-winning cookbook “The Dining Car” for the Denison Service League which included a detailed history of Denison along with the recipes. Margaret and Bill measured and marked off the first soccer field for the Girl’s Club of Denison and she coached youth soccer in both Dallas and Denison. She was active in the First Presbyterian Church of Denison where she served as an elder. She taught her children several sports including soccer and snow skiing. And she enjoyed playing tennis, skiing, and traveling with Bill.

Margaret was loved very much. She is survived by her husband, William (Bill) Melvin, son Robert Melvin, son David Melvin, Anne Lott, daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Melvin, sister Cora Lee Hughes, brother-in-law Ed Melvin, sister-in-law Mary Jane Melvin, brother-in-law Dr. John Melvin, step-sister-in-law Joann Jonas, step-brother-in-law Alan Jonas, her aunt Betty Petty, as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and many treasured friends.

Memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Denison on Saturday January 26, 2019 at 11am. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her honor to your favorite charity.

The family would like to thank the medical community of Denison and, in particular, the staff of Homestead of Denison for the devoted care they provided her in her final years.