Joseph N. Melson Jr.

Joseph N. Melson, Jr., age 87, of Bethany Beach, DE, formerly of Wilmington, DE passed away on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at his home.
Joe was born in Wilmington, DE on June 23, 1937, son of the late Joseph N. Melson and the late Viola L. (Bozman) Melson. He graduated from Wilmington High School in 1955 and the University of Delaware in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Joe joined the Delaware National Guard, 1049th Transportation Company and was activated from 1961-1962 for the Cuban Missile and Berlin Wall Crisis.
He began his working career with Wilmington Trust, Corporate Trust Division, where he met his beloved wife, Mary McKeown and married in 1962 at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Newport, DE on November 10, 1962. Joe also had worked for the US Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Administration before becoming a self-employed real estate appraiser in 1973.
He was blessed with a successful 50-year career in his own business, where Mary worked alongside of him. Joe had a love for real estate, where he loved the aspect of teaching appraisal courses to real estate agents. If he wasn't teaching professionally about the appraisal business, he enjoyed providing a wealth of information to his family about real estate and what to look for when buying a home. He was a Charter member and past President of the Delaware Chapter of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers.
Joe was also an avid golfer, charter member and the first member of the Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club. Joe and Mary traveled extensively to participate in Pro-Amateur golf events and enjoyed the company of many friends in their travels. Joe and Mary were also actively involved in supporting the Border-Collie Rescue Operations and were proud humans to their beloved Border Collies, Paddington "Paddy", Tyler and Mick.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary M. Melson in 2018; a brother, John Melson and a brother-in-law, Edward P. McKeown. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Eileen McKeown of Wilmington, DE; a niece, Clare McKeown; two nephews, Tom McKeown (Patty) and Terry McKeown. He was also survived by his three step-nieces and nephew, Molly Fantini (Victor), Sue Murray (Will) and Michael Zielinski (Amy); great nieces and nephews, Eric Osman (Anna), Matt Powel (Christina), Madison Brewer (Knute), Andrew Powel, Brandon Powel, Sara Powel, Erin McKeown, Kyle McKeown and Kyra McKeown, Cassie, Cecilia, Sophia, Liam, Maeve, Seamus, Brendan and Rohan.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the many friends, neighbors and South Coastal Village Volunteers who supported Joe over the years with a special mention to Andrews Family and Jenn Carter. Your kindness, love and friendship made a lasting impact in Joe's life.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 12 noon in the Ocean View Chapel of Melson Funeral Services, 38040 Muddy Neck Road, Ocean View, DE where friends and family may gather after 11 A.M. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 32112 Vines Creek Road, Dagsboro, DE.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorial contributions be made in Joseph's name to the South Coastal Village Volunteers, P.O. Box 1453, Bethany Beach, DE 19930.
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