Faye Melton

Faye Melton

October 30, 1925 – March 8, 2017

Faye was born in Falling Spring township, Missouri, the third child of Frank and Pearl Barnes. She grew up on the family farm in the outskirts of Winona, MO. After Faye graduated from high school, the family moved to Centralia, WA, where Frank found work at a saw mill. During WWII, Faye worked as a “Rosie the Riveter” at Boeing’s Centralia airplane plant. After the war she married Lloyd Melton, whom she had met in school back in Missouri. Lloyd worked for Safeway in Ferndale, Port Townsend, and Anacortes, until buying his own meat market and lockers in Oak Harbor in 1960. During this time Faye’s main focus was being a homemaker and mother to their two daughters. To supplement the family’s income, Faye also worked outside the home as manager of a Navy Exchange annex in Navy housing, as well as helping out at the market. In 1975 Faye and Lloyd moved to Barrow, Alaska, to manage the meat department in the town’s supermarket. They also lived for awhile in Juneau, working at a market there. Living in Alaska was one of the highlights of Faye’s life. Upon their return to WA state, they managed a self storage facility in Renton, until moving to Centralia to manage a motel, and finally retiring.

Faye was preceded in death by her husband Lloyd in 1989.

Faye passed away in her sleep after a series of illnesses over the past couple of years.

She is survived by daughters Sharon (Leon) Kosch, and Carol Melton, and grandchildren Chrissy and Chad Kosch. Chrissy and Chad remember “Grandma made the best oatmeal”. Faye was a true mom to the end, trying to get Sharon and Carol to share her meals in the hospital and nursing home, and always telling them to “stay safe” on the drive home. She will be greatly missed.

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