Sam Edward Melton Jr.

08/25/1937 - 01/07/2026

Sam E. Melton, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, passed away at home on January 7, 2026 at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter, Samantha; granddaughter Alexandra "Lexi"; great-grandchildren, Hailey and Oakleigh; and brother, David.
Colonel Melton entered the United States Army in 1962 as a private soldier and received a Direct Commission as Second Lieutenant in 1964. He served in Europe, Korea, Vietnam, and at numerous posts in the United States. During his command of the 259th Replacement Company in Vietnam, the company was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal. His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, 2 awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. Colonel Melton was born in Washington, DC where he attended public school. He attended the University of Maryland, earned a Bachelor's Degree in Financial Administration from Benjamin Franklin University and a Master's Degree in Business from Webster University. After retiring from active service in 1984, Colonel Melton was employed by the Army Materiel Command as a Logistics Management Specialist, working primarily in weapon systems readiness.
In addition to his love for his family and country, he was an old-time movie buff who often quoted Laurel & Hardy (as well as Perry Mason, depending on the situation). A proud card-carrying MENSA member, Col. Melton was self-taught on the acoustic guitar, and he enjoyed classic Country/Western music. Additionally, he enjoyed vegetable gardening, reading mystery novels and solving cryptic crosswords. Although he was "Col. Melton" to many, we will forever cherish him as being the "Fixer of Everything" and our "PawPaw".
As a decorated Army Veteran, he will be interred with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery with a private family gathering. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to one of three charities that were the closest to his heart: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, and The Make-A-Wish Foundation.