Obituary: Kays, Melvin L.
Age 83
Funeral Services will be held Monday, March 16, 2015, 10:00 AM at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1310 Adams Street, Davenport, WA.
Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery.
Strate Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements Mel was one of triplet boys born April 5, 1931 in Perkins County, NE, to Chancy and Ruth Kays.
Mel and family moved to Washington in 1945.
They lived in the Wilbur and Davenport areas, Mel graduated from Wilbur High School in 1948.
Mel and his two brothers joined the Air Force at the same time in 1950.
After serving in the Air Force he attended Gonzaga University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Education.
While attending Gonzaga he and Mick Byrne and Richard Spils spent several summers in Copper Valley, Alaska, helping construct a school for Father Jake Spils, SJ.
an Alaskan Missionary.
Mel retired from Consolidated Freightways, Portland, OR, as Senior Accountant in the General Accounting Department, also working in licensing and as a purchasing agent, He purchased so many tires from Goodyear, he was rewarded with a ride in the Goodyear Blimp.
After retirement, he made his home in LaPine, OR, spending his summers there and his winters in Black Rock, AZ.
He avidly pursued his family’s genealogy traveling widely to complete the history of his family.
He enjoyed family and made special trips to celebrate their special occasions.
He also enjoyed fishing, watching Little League Baseball and high school sports.
Mel will be remembered for his sly wit and ability to make friends everywhere he went.
He was always glad to lend a helping hand.
His special friends included: Sylvia (Byrne) Henderson, Allen, WA; Joe, Lynette, Kellin, Danielle, and Tarah Byrne, Colbert, WA; Pat and Shawna Byrne, Federal Way, WA; Dee Byrne, Lake Tahoe, NV; Darcy and Mark Davis, Anchorage, AK; Annette Davis, Spokane, WA; Gary Marchant of Portland OR; J.R. and Lori Tabuyo and family of LaPine, OR; Dan and Gretchen Clark, LaPine, OR; Jack and Marilou Sims of Pleasantville, OR; Duane Smith and Dottie Peterson, Black Rock Park, AZ; and all his wonderful friends at the Black Rock RV Park in Arizona.
Those preceding Mel were his parents Chancy and Ruth, brothers Fred 2002, Marvin 2004, Mervin 2015.
Survivors are his brother Darrel and wife Jayne, Puyallup, WA; brother Vern and wife Maxine, Spokane, WA; sister-in-law Ellen Kays, Davenport, WA.
He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins and friends.
In lieu of flowers Memorials may be sent to Gonzaga University, Michael J. Byrne and Richard Spils Memorial Scholarship, 502 East Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA 99258.