Donald R. Mellen

1922 - 2016

HILLSBOROUGH – Donald Russell Mellen, 93, died at his home Monday, April 18, 2016 with his wife by his side.

He was born in East Washington on May 30, 1922, the son of Leo and Nellie (Russell) Mellen. He attended local schools, graduating from Hillsboro High School in 1940, and attended Keene Teachers College. During World War II he worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and at the Electric Boat Company in New London, Conn. He taught school for a year at the one-room Dole Schoolhouse in Washington, then worked as a land surveyor in Lexington, Mass for 21 years. In 1967 he opened his practice in Hillsborough. He was a registered land surveyor in Mass. and a licensed land surveyor in New Hampshire.  

While living in Lexington he met Norma Louise Robson of Upton, Mass. They were married for 50 years until her death in 2004. In 2006 he married Janice (Maxwell) Robinson. He was predeceased by his parents and his sisters Audrey Minor of West Hartford, Conn., and Ruth Smith of Hillsborough.

He is survived by his wife, Janice; his sons, Gordon R. "Rick" Mellen and his wife Pamela, and Peter D. Mellen and his wife, Anne, all of Hillsborough; his stepsons, Charles Robinson and his wife Janine of Laguna Beach, California, Daniel Robinson and his wife Holly of Brush Prairie, Washington, Gary Robinson and his wife Kristen of Los Gatos, California, and Steven Robinson and his wife Martha of Elmira, N.Y.; his five grandchildren, Emma Mayberry and her husband Milo of Berwick, Maine, Kate Bangert and her husband Tyler of North Berwick, Maine, Samuel J. Mellen of South Boston, Mass., Noah J. Mellen of Boston, Mass., and Alexander R. Mellen of Hillsborough; his eight step-grandchildren, Jeffrey Burke of Athens, Vermont, Erin Moore and her husband Gregory of Dublin, and Cassidy, Caden, Benjamin, Emily, Maraika and Elliot Robinson; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m. at Smith Memorial Congregational Church, 30 West Main Street, Hillsborough, N.H. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Smith Memorial Congregational Church, PO Box 672, Hillsborough, N.H., 03244-0672.