Grace E. Melton, 91, of Colorado died peacefully April 22,2016, at Colorado State Veterans Home at Fitzsimons, where she had been a resident since 2013.
She was born on April 1,1925, in Decatur, the daughter of Dora and Harry Dressen, and was one of six children. She married James M. Melton in 1948, and they were married 65 years before he preceded her in death.
Mrs. Melton graduated from Litchfield High School in 1943, where she was the band majorette and a skilled baton twirler. She moved to St. Louis where she worked in the office of a munitions factory during World War II.
She spent many years as a full-time wife and mother. In addition to her work after high school, she had various jobs as a secretary and office worker in Cedar Falls, IA, Des Moines, IA, and even after moving to Denver, CO, in 1989. She left her last job in 2006. Her coworkers appreciated her upbeat personality, sense of style, attention to detail, organizational skills and unique, dry sense of humor.
Mrs. Melton also enjoyed volunteer work for the League of Women Voters, Girl Scouts and Heart Fund. Games and sports were a big part of her life, and she enjoyed playing golf, bridge and card games of all sorts, as well as watching golf and football on TV.
She attended Lutheran churches all her life and was an active member in many. Before moving to assisted living and then to the nursing home at Fitzsimons, she was an active member of XYZ Club at Bethany Lutheran Church, where her humor and outgoing personality was sorely missed.
Mrs. Melton is survived by her two children, Deb Melton of Silverthorne, CO, and Rick Melton of Kansas City, KS; two grandchildren, Christine Sneller and Matt Sneller of Denver, CO; one great-grandson; two brothers, Bob Dressen and Bill Dressen, both of Illinois; and 13 nieces and nephews.
The family requests donations be made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 4500 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge, CO, 80033.
