Walter Clark Melendy, Jr.

Walter Clark Melendy, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home in Linden, Navajo County, Arizona from complications of Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was 71 years old. Clark was born on July 16, 1941 in Houston, Harris County, Texas to the late Walter Clark and Ruth Gladys (Hoyt) Melendy, Sr. Clark grew up in Fairbanks, Texas with his two brothers, Perry Arthur Melendy and Thomas Wayne Melendy where their father was a rice farmer. He attended Cypress Fairbanks High School and was a member of its band as well as a member of its FFA program. During his junior year of high school, the band won the "Battle of the Roses" band contest in San Antonio, Texas which enabled them to be the lead band in the Mardi Gras Parade in New Orleans, Louisiana. The FFA Club in Cypress Fairbanks had their own bucking stock and they sponsored a rodeo every Friday night. Clark's lifelong love of cowboying and rodeoing came as a result of his high school rodeos. After graduating from high school in 1959, his family moved to Colbran, Colorado where his father purchased a cattle ranch. Two life changing events occurred while he was living in Colbran; he was drafted in the United States Army and he met the true love of his life, Dian Bryant. Clark served two years in Korea and, after 13 months of deployment he came home and married Dian on May 29, 1965. Their marriage was later solemnized when they were sealed for All Time and Eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 17, 1966. Clark and Dian are the parents of 4 daughters: Dawn Danae, Lachelle, Nicole and Monica. Although Clark worked many different vocations throughout his life, his favorite was driving a truck. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many leadership and teaching positions. He had a strong testimony of the gospel and he shared it with many. As a member of The Church, in his younger years, he was part of the Show Low 2nd Ward Slow Pitch Softball Team that took 3rd place in the All Church Championship Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah. Clark had a love of sports but he especially enjoyed watching his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews play youth sports up to the collegiate level. Clark's hobbies included roping, Saturday night stock car races, hunting, camping and fishing with his family. He also loved playing Dominos, Hearts and Pinochle. Clark never met a stranger and would help anyone at any time, day or night. Clark is survived by his wife of 47 years, Dian Melendy of Linden, Arizona; 4 daughters: Dawn Danae (Mark) Brawley of Vail, Arizona, Lachelle (Donald) Skinner of San Tan Valley, Arizona, Nicole (Rex) Tanner of Annabella, Utah, Monica Gaylord of Linden, Arizona; 20 grandchildren; 1 greatchild and one more on the way; 2 brothers: Perry (Kaylee) Melendy of Palisades, Colorado, Tom (Marilyn) Melendy of Palisades, Colorado; father-in-law, Jim R. Bryant of Linden, Arizona; step-mother, Velma Melendy of Anchorage, Alaska; brothers and sisters-in-law and is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Along with his parents, Clark was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Valoe Bryant and a grand niece, Jaclyn Rae Unfred. The visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Friday, November 23, 2012 at Owens Livingston Mortuary - White Mountain Chapel, 320 N. 9th Street in Show Low, Arizona. The funeral service will begin 2:00 P.M., Saturday, November 24, 2012 at the Show Low Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1401 W. Deuce of Clubs in Show Low, Arizona where additional visitation will begin 1 hour prior. The concluding service with military honors will immediately follow at the Show Low Cemetery.