PALESTINE, W.Va. - Melvin Ellwood Egbert passed away Feb. 14, 2017, at Ohio Valley Health Care of Parkersburg, W.Va.
He was born Dec. 18, 1929, in Baltimore, the son of the late Walter Raymond and Beatrice Ethel (Slimmer) Egbert.
He graduated from Cambridge (MD) High School in 1946. He retired from the U. S. Navy on Aug. 10, 1968 after 22-1/2 years of service, achieving the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer, receiving over a dozen service awards.
Mel worked at Sears in Parkersburg as a service technician and retired in Jan. 1990 after 21 years of service.
Mel is survived by his wife of 62 years, Evelyn Jean (Cale) Egbert; two children, Faith (Keith) Smith of Elizabeth and Daniel Park (Patricia Ann Donham) Egbert of Palestine; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Keiko Egbert, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by five brothers, Raymond, Park, Lester, Ivan and Albert Egbert; one sister, Virginia Egbert; and brother and sister-in-laws, Clyde and Virginia Cale and Eleanor and Melvin Watson.
Services were held at 4 p.m., Sept. 3, 2017, at the Elizabeth United Methodist Church. Interment at a later date at the National Cemetery in Pruntytown, W.Va.
Memorial donations can be made to the Elizabeth U.M. Church, P. O. Box 549, Elizabeth, WV 26143.
Mel loved to sing in church choirs and nursing homes, singing even while in the Navy. He is now singing in the Heavenly Choir.