Melvin Lee 'Mel' Slack

Melvin Lee "Mel" Slack, 90, passed away peacefully Thursday, December 24, 2020, at his home in Thermopolis, Wyo.

One of four children, he was born November 12, 1930, in Louisville, Ky., the son of Ezra and Bethel (Hatfield) Slack. The family moved to Fredericksburg, Ind., where Mel attended school. He joined the US Navy with Basic Training in the Great Lakes and spent 20 years on destroyers and submarines. Plank owner on the SSBN Woodrow Wilson and SSBN Mariano G. Vallejo, Mel retired in 1968. During his years in the Navy he enjoyed traveling the world, often bragging about traveling around the world 3 times, skiing in Switzerland, and swimming on the Equator. Following the Navy, he was employed in maintenance and construction.

Mel's legacy is a long history of continued military service to the nation through his family. Five of his children served in the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy. Combined years of service which include his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren total 141 years and growing.

In 1954 he married Alice Wright. To this union three children were born. The couple later divorced. Mel married Billie Latham and they had one child, later divorcing. On December 27, 1969, he married Marjorie L. Lawrence in Sparks, Nev. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2019. To his stepchildren he was the father he did not have to be.

A member of the Fleet Reserve, he also joined the Submarine Veterans of WY.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, American Motorcycle Association and was a Boy Scout Assistant Leader. Mel enjoyed fishing, camping, riding motorcycles and was an armchair fan of football, baseball and boxing. He loved playing practical jokes on others and enjoyed jokes played on him.

He is survived by his wife, Marge; sister, Elva Marth of Cookeville, Tenn .; children, Jack Mayfield of Thermopolis, Bruce (Laura) Slack of Savannah, Ga., Michael Slack of Joplin, Mo., Evelyn Fox of Mitchell, S.D., Nancy (Dave) Davies of Anaheim, Calif., and Peggy Slack-Lohmann of Jefferson City, Mo .; 20 grandchildren; 31 great grands; one great- great grand; and daughter-in-law, Billee Mayfield of Thermopolis. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother; sister; two sons; a daughter; two grandchildren; and a daughter-in-law.

Mel took great pleasure in telling everyone that he was a direct descendant of the Hatfield's, of the Hatfield and McCoy feud.

Memorial services will be held Thursday, December 31, at 10 a.m. at the Federated Community Church Hall with Pastor Ross Kershaw officiating. A light luncheon will follow.

Mortimore Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online messages may be offered at http://www.mortfh.com