James William Melton's Obituary
Retired Army Sergeant Major James William Melton, who lived in Tacoma, Washington, since 1990, died on July 2, 2024, at Madigan Army Medical Center after a three-year fight with cancer. He was 75.
James was born in June 1949—the fifth of six children—to John and Virginia Melton in Sophia, West Virginia. He joined the Army in 1967, serving over 25 years on active duty with assignments in Korea, Kentucky, Vietnam, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, Panama, West Germany, Missouri, and Washington state. After retirement from the Army in 1992, he worked at Jackpot Convenience Stores as the Vice President for Sales/Retail. James later returned to public service at the Washington State Soldiers Home at Orting and then served at the Veterans Affairs’ Medical Center at American Lake. He retired from the VA in 2019.
James met the love of his life, Son Cha Melton, in 1968. In their 55 years together, they built a life that included living and having adventures on three continents, moving every few years to a new duty station, and raising 3 children--John, Susanne, and Jim—who actually enjoy speaking with each other and frequently called and visited him. James was a big proponent of family and of service, and all three of his kids served in the Armed Forces (2 x Army, 1 x Air Force). His kids also married wonderful partners—Myung Hee Kim, John Carr, and Yasue Shimizu—and produced a total of three grandchildren—Christopher, James, and Lilica He took great pride in watching the next generation of Meltons grow, including seeing Christopher become an Army sergeant. James William Melton was a beloved husband, father, uncle, grandpa, and friend.
A public viewing will take place at Mountain View Funeral Home on August 2, 2024 from 0900-1030 hours.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Fisher House Foundation at https://fisherhouse.org/donate
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