 Joy has been like a father to me since my own fathers passing away over 30 years ago. He has always been there for me, to talk to about life in general. He and I have spent many hours talking about our Lord Jesus and how good he has been to all of us even in times of difficulties. One thing I'll always remember is, Joy would almost always say when we would get together, "how much longer Jess before Jesus returns can't be much longer". I will sure miss our talks.
After retiring from masonry work, Joy & Ish spent many years working for the World Mapper Missionary Organization (Mobile Missionaries). They traveled all around North America working on location, repairing or building new facilities, to be used for Christian work, and they met many people like themselves. I believe this is where Joy grew the most. 
Joy was a hard worker; he loved to work either on his projects or someone else's project. He loved working in his garden. He also was willing to help others when he could, didn't matter who they were, whether they were well off financially or on the streets with nothing, he wanted all to know that Jesus loved them and he reflected this type of attitude towards others.
The final weeks in the hospital, I went to visit him one evening and he expressed with tears running down his cheek that he was tired of this job, meaning with life and ready to go home to be with the Lord. Another time I asked him to share with me his salvation to Jesus Christ and again with tears running down his cheek to tell me the story how he came to give his life to Jesus. Joy loved to talk about our Lord and Savior; it brought joy and peace to his heart. 
Joy is now in heaven with Jesus, family and friends and I know he is hoping and waiting for you to come visit. I Love you Joy and I hope I was as good as a son-in-law as you were a father-in-law to me. Love and miss you Joy until we meet again in heaven. Jess

Pops, there isn't a day goes by that I don't think of you.  You were always teaching me, coaching me through my youth and through life by your example of being a man.  You were bigger than life to me when I was a little boy, you are now and forever will be my hero.  You taught me how to raise my own son Taylor and be a good father to my daughter Lindsey. You instilled a strong work ethic, an apprication for the simple things in life and a love for our lord.  Many times as an adult man I found myself in need of your councel and you were always there for me in my time of need.  I was looking forward to one more seasion with you fishing on the river, one more chance to work with you in your shop & talk of things that were going on in both our lives.  I miss you dad very much thank you for being you and for loveing me the way you did.  I will see you again, and again you can show me around and teach me how heaven operates, thanks Pops. Your forever greatfull & loving son.

Dad, how very blessed I've been to share the goodness of the Lord with you. How I loved the great faith you found in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
  I thank you for the hours we've spent talking of the goodness of the Lord. I thank you for committing to the long drive from the ranch to the Wilbur church for Sunday school and church, when we were little girls. Church was my inspiration to do mighty things for the Lord and I do remember trying to conduct Sunday School the Sundays we were unable to make it to Wilbur. My audience was Robin and Cristi; Kim was too young. I would set up my "church" at the bunk house with old boxes for my pulpit. I was very aware of God at the age of 6. When we got the TV and was able to watch Oral Roberts pray for the sick, I had that inward witness that NOTHING what-so-ever is impossible with God, as I watched people get healed.
You and Mom made the sacrifice for your first born and sent me to Bob Jones Univ. where, on Sept 8th, 1964, I accepted the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior. Thank you!
I am eternally grateful for the years we spent on the ranch. God has been good to us all. I have been especially blessed because of the relationship we had through the Lord. Before we are aware of it, we'll be together again.
My eternal love for my earthly father,
Coral

My Dad was very precious to me. Robin and I have wonderful memories of hard work on the ranch and special trips to town to be treated to gum or a huge jar-breaker. Little things like that made our hard work worth it all.
 
  Because my childhood was so wonderful, growing up on the ranch, I have many memories of special things Dad would do just for us girls. I remember during the winters how he'd rig up a tin sled that he'd pull for miles behind a tractor. And the fun Robin and I would have at the barn with the animals and climbing to the roof on windy days catching the wind in our coats and jumping as high in the air as we could so the wind would carry us backward.

 Robin and I would daily, change the irrigation lines, and occassionally find a snake lying near a warm pipe. Our dog, Topper, would get after it and the fun would begin. We'd run all over the field after the dog and the snake and eventually get back to work.  No matter what work was expected of us, we could turn it to play. 

 All my favorite memories of life on the ranch, come as the result of being taught a good work ethic from our parents. Hard work can be fun work; it's the attitude with which it is attacked.

 My proudest and sweetest times with my father were the hours we spent sharing the Lord. Nothing is impossible with God and my dad got that! It was such a blessing ministering to him and watching his faith grow. He was a man of great faith and it thrilled him so much to talk about the goodness of the Lord and to see prayers answered. I can hear that laugh now, as I would talk of an impossible situation and the answer God would bring.

  He had a very caring heart for people and most concerned about their salvation.
 
 I'm so grateful for the last week I had with Dad, as he was bed-bound. He never failed to tell me he loved me as I held his face in my hands and leaned close to say "I love you Dad."
 How very blessed we have been to have such strong examples. I have been so touched over the years to see his heart melt over the grandkids and everything that was done for family events revolved around meeting each child's needs. We'll all remember the fishing, card playing, cribbage games and even our "howelling" memories of his drawings for Pictionary. What a hoot!

 Oh I have been blessed and I priase our wonderful Lord Jesus for His protection over the years to my folks.

 I thank God for each of my siblings and for the time and patience our mother gave to each of us, because Dad was the provider that he was. We lacked for nothing. 
 The most important things our folks provided was love, and a Christian based home.
  I know my father is with Patti and Kim, Jesus and various relatives. He is young and vibrant and enjoying no earthly limitations. Until we are reunited, thank you God for my father. Thank you, thank you.
 Corla, (he often called me Corla)

I I am very blessed to have grown up seeing my Grandpa as often as I did.  He was an excellent role model in every aspect of his life, whether it was his work ethic or his unfailing faith and love for God. The way Grandpa nurtured and cared for his marriage with Grandma was covered with fingerprints of God.  The unconditional love they shared for 50+ years is amazing to me.     

Two memories that really stick out to me are Gramps fishing off the shore at Lake Roosevelt (the cabin) and building the side roof on his house with my brothers, Jarod and Adam.  

At the cabin, Grandpa was constantly was down at the beach fishing for hours at a time.  All he had with him was a lawn chair, an umbrella, fishing pole, tackle box, and ... Cricket.  Whether he caught anything or not, Grandpa was faithfully down at the water enjoying the view, the weather, and the company of little Cricky.  

Building the roof on the side of Grandma and Grandpa's house was a great adventure that the 3 of us boys will remember for the rest of our lives.  Seeing Gramps climb on wood piles or teaching us how to chop wood can only exemplify an extremely small part of his life and who he was.  (Gramps ended up building most of the roof anyway!)  He was an extremely hard worker his whole life, and not just with manual labor, but with his marriage and his faith in God, proved by Grandpa's lifelong examples.  

You will be dearly missed Grandpa! You left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing you. Your legacy will be passed down from generation to generation.  
We love you Gramps! Can't wait to see you again!

Grandma and Grandpa you have always been huge role models to the Melcher and King family. Your kindness, work ethic and love has shown the light of Jesus to all the lives you have touched. Grandpa you have inspired me to be a good husband/ father/God fearing man through the relationship you cultivated with my own dad, who lost his father shortly after I was born. One of my favorite memories will be of Grandpa in his 80's still working like a young whippersnapper by climbing to the top of his woodpile to work on the roof of the woodshed. (Freaked me and Brent out). Grandpa's drive for life has encouraged me to enjoy the small things, love big, and live for the glory of God. We will MISS you Grandpa!

One thing that I can truly say of my dad was that he was a worker. It made me proud of him that he would always stay busy. He was not a couch potatoe! When him and mom would come over to our house on the coast dad would be right outside with us working. Not that we asked him to do anything, but he would gladly jump in and help. Help is the one word that my dad did alot with other folks. Many times he would go over to his buddy Duane Larsens house in Lacey and help him with whatever needed to be done. His buddy at the Bar 41, Brad, could agree to that. He worked quite a bit down by Lk Roosevelt helping build stuff for the place. In fact, the picture with dad in the plaid shirt with his suspenders on was taken shortly after my husband, Jess, son Jarod,and brother in law Danny had just tackled a big stump that needed to come out. What a job!  When dad came over for the last time in late March, he said he wasn't feeling well and had no energy and he was sleeping alot, which wasn't like him. My husband had gotten a load of compost and it was waiting in the trailor to unload and wouldn't ya know it my dad unloaded the whole thing. I can only imagine what he's helping the Lord with in heaven!  Another thing that impressed me about my dad was that he was not a complainer. Dad was a very good man and I'm thankful for him.  He had two daughters precede him in death but his consulation and ours is that even though our family has had loss, we can be sure that one day we will all be together again due to the promises of God which is our sure foundation. Trusting in Christ as our Saviour and our deliverer, the One who says we will live forever with Him gives us as believers hope. Dad had a strong belief that Gods word was and is true. Thank you both mom and dad for being examples and leading us to the saving knowledge of Christ.    I love you dad and will continue to miss you--until we meet again in Heaven---love your third daughter Cristi  Tenino, Wa

It is hard to grasp the realization that family events will no longer include Grandpa.  He was a wonderful man and felt blessed to know him.  Things will not be the same without his prayers at thanksgiving, or any gathering for that matter.  He always had some crazy story, even up to his passing about new adventures of work that he had undertaken (resulting in his grandson's having a good work ethic).  Most recently I remember him telling me a story of him working in the fields with migrant workers.  He said the other workers would go back to their cars for lunch but the cars were like a quarter of a mile away.  He said that was too far so he and his friend would continue to work.  He said the other workers were able to work much faster than him so he needed to work through lunch to keep pace with them.  I really think in spirit he was a much younger man working in those fields.  I believe we had this conversation within the last two years.  I also remember going to the house in Wilbur and chopping wood for him.  He would come out a least twice an hour to show us how to chop wood (actually slowing us down).  Both Brent and I knew that he wanted to come outside and work with us so bad.  

I miss him very much Grandma.  I thank the lord for the time that we were able to spend with him here on this earth and look forward to the day when I can see him again.

One thing that I can truly say of my dad was that he was a worker. It made me proud of him that he would always stay busy. He was not a couch potatoe! When him and mom would come over to our house on the coast dad would be right outside with us working. Not that we asked him to do anything, but he would gladly jump in and help. Help is the one word that my dad did alot with other folks. Many times he would go over to his buddy Duane Larsens house in Lacey and help him with whatever needed to be done. His buddy at the Bar 41, Brad, could agree to that. He worked quite a bit down by Lk Roosevelt helping build stuff for the place. In fact, the picture with dad in the plaid shirt with his suspenders on was taken shortly after my husband, Jess, son Jarod,and brother in law Danny had just tackled a big stump that needed to come out. What a job!  When dad came over for the last time in late March, he said he wasn't feeling well and had no energy and he was sleeping alot, which wasn't like him. My husband had gotten a load of compost and it was waiting in the trailor to unload and wouldn't ya know it my dad unloaded the whole thing. I can only imagine what he's helping the Lord with in heaven!  

Another thing that impressed me about my dad was that he was not a complainer. Dad was a very good man and I'm thankful for him.  

He had two daughters precede him in death but his consulation and ours is that even though our family has had loss, we can be sure that one day we will all be together again due to the promises of God which is our sure foundation. Trusting in Christ as our Saviour and our deliverer, the One who says we will live forever with Him gives us as believers hope. Dad had a strong belief that Gods word was and is true. Thank you both mom and dad for being examples and leading us to the saving knowledge of Christ.    I love you dad and will continue to miss you--until we meet again in Heaven---love, your third daughter Cristi

I am so overwhelmed with love when I think of my dad.  Not that I didn't get my share of spankings, but then what kid wouldn't when you are told over and over not to be running around on all fours being a horse at my Aunt Bernice's house.  Oh, he didn't spank me in front of my aunt, he waited until we were home.  He was thoughtful that way, you know.  When we got home I figured it was one of those times when he was just trying to scare me into not being a horse.  Well, I was wrong!  I don't think we were home 10 minutes when he had a little talk with me.  He did explain why, now, he had to follow through with the spanking.  That was thoughtful but didn't ease the anticipation of what was to come.  He got his piece of kindling, got on his knees on the floor and waited for his "horse" to face the music.  There I was waiting for my swats, feeling not so good about the whole thing because it was right in front of my mom and sister.  Down came the kindling, one, two, three.  At last, it was done and my thoughts were "oh, that wasn't so bad."  Unfortunately I looked up at my sister, Coral, who made an ugly face, and out of my mouth came a laugh. Since dad thought I thought the spanking was funny, I got a few more that weren't quite so gentle.  You see, dad didn't really want to spank me at all, but he knew he had to follow through because that's what good parents do. Coral and I still get many "yuks" over that little incident.

My fondest memories were growing up on the ranch.  Dad worked hard and mom fed all the hired hands dad would bring home.  Coral & I also had our chores, changing sprinklers, milking cows, tending the stupid sheep, and even picking our bing cherries that earned us enough money for dad to buy our first saddle.  I wish our life on the ranch was a movie for everyone to see because of the fun and great times that were made there.  I know now there were tough times but our parents must have guarded us from that because  my memories are full of nothing but happiness, love, laughter, play time, horse riding, swimming and adventures.  Coral & I even made our chores fun.  What kid wouldn't want to see that movie?

Dad was a hard working man that grew to love the Lord.  He was a great dad, loved his family and never saw bad in anyone.  I miss him greatly!  Thank you God for the earthly father you gave me for all those years.

I am so very honored to be one of the 15 grandchildren, belonging to my Grandpa Melcher. I remember Grandpa always smiling and always so full of life. I loved the patience he exhibited, letting me hang around while he created walls, and additions to their Washington home with his masonry talent. Grandpa has undoubtedly given me the most precious gift of all; his first child, my mother, Coral. Grandpa and Grandma's amazing marriage legacy, created, stability, love and lots of laughter for the Melcher  family for generations to come. You will be missed....until we meet again, all my love! Lisa

To our dear friends, the Melchers:  You are all like family to us.  Joy was a great man who knew the Lord, and he was not afraid to show it in everything he did.  He was kind and generous, and we always loved having him come to our house. We miss him, but he is in a wonderful awesome place with the Lord and those that have gone before him.  To God be the glory!!
Suzanne and Bob Lonn

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
My husband and I managed The property off of Pacific Hwy for the family and we enjoyed J.R and his company and humor.He will be missed! Great man!
Lane and Joy Hanson

To the entire Melcher tribe, know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.  I think you are very blessed to have had a dad and grandfather who loved and followed the Lord. That is the most precious gift he could have given you! I am
glad to have been a small part of this family. Joy will be missed by all who knew him and spent time with him. We send our love, John and Eileen

OBITUARY

Joy Robert Melcher (J.R.)

July 3, 1924 – May 20, 2010

Mills & Mills Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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