Warwick Mellor Whitley II, 79, of Burnet died May 20, 2016

Warwick Mellor “Mel” Whitley II was born Jan. 20, 1937, to Warwick Mellor ”Wick” and Audrey Willett McGuffee Whitley in Huntsville, Texas, and passed away May 20, 2016, in Burnet, Texas.

Mel, the only son, was preceded in death by his parents and sister Dorothy Albright.

He is survived by his wife, Maxine; five children, Cindy Gallagher (late husband Gregg Gallagher), Keith Whitley (wife Barbara), Terri Virdell (husband Terry), Mike Whitley (wife Angela) and Barbara Shaffer (husband Will); 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; sisters Ruth Riggs (husband Ray) and Carol Barton (husband Terry); and numerous nieces and nephews.

As a young boy, Mel and his parents lived in several towns, but he considered San Saba, Texas, his home. He spent a short time after graduation in the oil patch of West Texas and at Arlington State College.

Mel served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from February 1954 until February 1962. His adult life started when he met the love of his love, Maxine. It didn’t take Mel long to realize that Maxine was the one for him! After two years of dating, they married on Aug. 11, 1956.

In Mel’s words, “Just by chance,” he as well as several other classmates applied for a job at the Lone Star Boat Co., located in Grand Prairie, Texas. As luck would have it, his boss was the manager in the fiberglass division and later became founder and president of Glastron Boat Co. in Austin. Mel was the second employee. Eventually, the company became the largest pleasure boat manufacturer in the world.

After moving to Austin, Mel and Maxine started their married life and family together. Their first baby girl, Cindy, came within the next year, and then Keith and Terri and Mike and Barbara! All five kids were born in the first four years of marriage.

One of his claims to fame was his design of the famous Bat Boat for the TV show “Batman” and also several boats for James Bond movies.

As chief designer and vice president of new product development, Mel remained with Glastron for 27 years. This gained him a well-respected name in the boating industry.

In 1984, opportunities developed in Florida that encouraged him to go into business for himself in designing and developing new boats for other large boat companies. So he and Maxine packed up and moved to Panama City, Florida. His company had many customers and did very well. Ready to move on, he sold his company in 1990 and accepted a position with Attwood Corp., the nation’s largest manufacturer of marine products. As director of Research and Development, Mel had numerous patents credited to his name.

Ready to come home to Texas, Mel and Maxine settled in Burnet to be close to their family and friends. Mel retired in 2002.

Mel enjoyed many hobbies: He was a self-taught steel guitar player, performing with local country bands for many years; received his pilot’s license; and built numerous radio-controlled airplanes, trains, cars and boats.

In 1992, Mel won the Top Gun Airplane Invitational Award for radio-controlled airplanes. Mel was a member of the Highland Lakes Amateur Radio Control Club. He enjoyed his friendships with other local HAM radio operators and others who he spoke with from around the world!

He was a perfectionist and excellent craftsman in everything he did.

Mel enjoyed a full life in his career, his family and friends. His wife, Maxine, was second to none and took excellent care of him as he did her. He was especially proud of all his children and grandchildren.

A service is 2 p.m. June 5 at Putnam Funeral Home, 145 Texas Ave. in Kingsland, (325) 388-0008. Go to putnamcares.com to offer condolences.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hill Country Humane Society at christ-yoder.org.