Melvin Lloyd Louis
Melvin Lloyd Louis, 89, of Buchanan Dam died Oct. 2, 2011. He was born Nov. 19, 1921, in the Palo Pinto County community of Mingus to Alex Louis and Barbara Naham.
He had his first job at 12, working a newspaper route in Mingus. For fun, he rebuilt a Model T with his good friend Leo Bielinski when they were teens. He graduated from Mingus High School and afterwards was a member of the National Youth Association, where he was taught lathe work.
He learned a strong work ethic from his father and carried that with him during his life.
He moved to California where he worked for the Faircraft aircraft factory building PBY Catalina flying boats. He was drafted into the Army in 1944 and served in the Luzon Campaign in the Philippines during World War II. He was awarded multiple medals and decorations including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned home to Mingus, where he started working for Lone Star Gas Co. as a service representative.
He married Kathryn Ann Watkins in 1951.
In 1953 he moved to Midland, where he was employed by the Magnolia Petroleum Co., now known as Exxon/Mobil. In 1961 he was hired by the Pioneer Natural Gas Co. (which became Atmos Energy) as a service representative. He worked his way up to service manager.
In 1995, he retired and moved to Buchanan Dam.
He enjoyed retirement by keeping busy with carpentry and landscaping projects. He and his wife — with the help of their good friends Dwight Wilfong and Kevin Yates — built their retirement home themselves over the course of several years.
He was an avid baseball fan who started listening to the St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio as a small child. He loved traveling to Houston to watch the Astros baseball games and, of course, had to go to the Astrodome the first year it was opened in 1965.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years; daughter Barbara Ann Louis of Houston; son Robert Lloyd Louis of San Angelo; three granddaughters; one grandson; and four great-granddaughters.
He was preceded in death by brothers; sisters; and son James Melvin Louis.
A service and burial is 1 p.m. Oct, 22 at the Mt. Marion Cemetery in Strawn.
Flowers may be sent to Edwards Funeral Home, 115 Watson, Strawn,TX 76475. Or, donations can be made to the Methodist Children’s Home, P.O. Box 5010, Waco, TX 76708-9989.
Local arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 Texas 29 East in Burnet, (512) 756-2222.