Melvin T. "Mel" Buff Sr.

1928 - 2016

Mr. Buff, "Mel," 87, died Tuesday evening, May 17, 2016 at Sunrise on Providence after a long battle with heart disease and a devastating fall in April. He was ready to "go home" and he knew where he was going.

The twelfth of thirteen children, born, Dec.7, 1928, to the late Major A. Buff and Mae Williams Buff, Mel grew up on a farm and in his father's store in Morganton, N.C. Major Buff was one of the largest cattle farmers in Burke County at the time. Both parents were devout Christians who raised their large, loving family to be the same.

Mel joined the Navy in 1945 serving on the USS Little Rock, a new light cruiser. He sailed the seas all over the world and served until 1947. Mel returned to Morganton to court and marry the girl he fell in love with in high school, Dereama Whisenant, "Deno," whom he wrote to every day while sailing. His daughter, Buffie, still has all those letters.

Deno and Mel married Aug. 23, 1950 and he graduated with an accounting degree from Lenior Rhyne College in 1952. They became members of Dilworth United Methodist Church in the mid 1950s where Mel has remained a member for more than 60 years. He held many lay and leadership positions including Chair of the Administrative Board, several terms as the Finance Committee Chair and served on the Endowment Committee for many years. Mel loved Dilworth Methodist and it's people. He and Deno were members of the Bowles Sunday School Class and spent most of their time with the lifelong, wonderful friends from the class.

Mel began his career at Goodyear Tire Company leaving to join Pneumafil Corp. as the district operating manager. After Pneumafil, he spent most of his career with the accounting firm, Thies and Whitfield, joining them in 1966. He retired from Dickson Odom Accounting.

After 37 years of marriage and three days shy of her 59th birthday, Deno died May 31, 1987 after a year-long battle with cancer. Mel mourned her loss while he celebrated the birth of his first grandchild, Page.

During the year that followed, Mel reconnected with long-time friend of the family, Marsha Medlin. The Medlin and Buff families had been friends for many years. Marsha's husband, Ronald, died about a year prior to Deno's death. Living the charmed life Mel did, he and Marsha fell in love and married June 24, 1989.

Marsha and Mel blended their two families while always celebrating Deno and Ronald. They have spent the past 27 years enjoying their lives together. Both retired, they bought a house at the beach, moved to Providence Park Apartments, made countless new friends, played more cards than a professional card shark, celebrated the marriages of their children and the birth of all five grandchildren. They are the happiest when any of the family is together and they are in the midst of the laughter and revelry.

Mel loved his family fiercely, Marsha, all their children and grandchildren. He loved hearing Page sing and was in awe that she was trained in opera (he attended many dance performances while she was growing up), he loved watching Gabi in many a musical theatre production and thought her comedic talent was uncanny, he marveled at the mind and stunning brilliance (and beauty) of Cameron, he was in awe of grandson Chase's prowess and speed on the football field ("Chase can run like the wind," he would exclaim), and he loved watching Harris play baseball and was thrilled when he hit a homerun (usually money was involved as a reward).

Mel loved playing golf with his Dilworth friends, his colleagues, his clients and his son, Chip. He was a long-time member of Carolina Golf and Country Club and shot a few holes-in-one in his amateur career. He loved the game of baseball, played semi-pro, and taught his children the nuances of the game. Chip became the prodigy. He loved playing bridge; any card game was good as long as he was winning. He was a kind, generous Southern gentleman with a quirky sense of humor. (When saying goodbye to someone, he was known to say, "Glad you got to see me!")

Mel is survived by his wife, whom he adored, Marsha Medlin Buff; his only surviving sibling, Haskel G. Buff and wife Nancy; his daughter, Denise Buff Stephens (Buffie) and husband Mark; his son, Melvin T. Buff, Jr. (Chip) and wife Patricia; his daughter Rhonda Steele and husband Devin; his daughter Sheridan Turner and husband Mark; his grandchildren Page Stephens, Gabi Stephens, Cameron Turner, Chase Turner and Harris Buff; a score of nieces and nephews, and countless friends.

Mel Buff was a well-loved man and we will miss him beyond measure. We are all, indeed grateful, that we did get to see him.

A reception will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Langford Hall at Dilworth United Methodist Church, 605 East Blvd., Charlotte. A service of Christian burial, officiated by The Reverend Karen Easter Bayne and Dr. Terry Moore, will follow at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary. Interment, with Navy Honor Detail, will be held following the service, at Forest Lawn West, 4601 Freedom Drive, Charlotte.

Memorials can be made to Dilworth United Methodist Church, 605 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203.

Heritage Funeral Home, Weddington Chapel, is assisting the Buff family. An online guest and condolence registry is available at www.heritagecares.com.