Melvin Dean Wilton

Mass of Christian Burial for Melvin Wilton, age 94, of Enid, will be Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Father Mark Mason as celebrant. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, under the direction of Anderson Burris Funeral Home and Crematory.

Mel was born to Edwin and Margaret (Indorf) Wilton on July 22, 1931 in Superior, Nebraska, and passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center in El Reno.

Mel was drafted during the Korean conflict and served in the Army in Germany. One of his assignments was to patrol the border that would later become the location of the Berlin wall.

Following his discharge from the Army, he worked many years for Champlin Refining Company. He began his career in Nebraska, then Iowa and South Dakota, ultimately relocating to Enid in 1957. He then married Janet Keegan that same year. He continued to work for Champlin at the Enid refinery, and upon its closure, relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas for a short time, before returning to Enid in 1991 upon his retirement from Champlin.

Mel and Janet were longtime Enid residents. She preceded him in death in 2008.

He is survived by his two children, Patti (Phil) Johnson and Tom (Ashley) Wilton; five grandchildren – Andrew Johnson, Peter (Jordan) Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson, Henry Wilton, and Sam Wilton; three great-grandsons, with a fourth great-grandchild due in the fall of 2026. Additional survivors include his brother Merle (Eileen) Wilton; sisters-in-law Mary (Dean) Rosenberg and Carol Keegan; brothers-in-law Bill Keegan and Louis Tysver.

Mel was a dedicated volunteer at Our Daily Bread for nearly 30 years. He also participated in the Champlin widowers group. He especially enjoyed gardening, and always looked forward to meeting his many friends for coffee and conversation.

The family wishes to express special thanks to his wonderful neighbors, and to St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center staff for their kind and loving care of Mel.

Memorials may be made through the funeral home to Our Daily Bread.