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David Calm Melton passed peacefully on May 25, 2026, in Las Cruces, NM surrounded by family.
Dave was born June 15, 1942, in Sacramento, NM to Robert (Bob) Tassel and Velma Louise Bishop Melton. He joined the family as number 8 of 11 children and grew up in Weed, NM. Growing up, Dave had a habit of trying to buy candy for all the other kids on his parents’ charge account at the general store and befriending bear cubs (much to his mother’s dismay) before he started working with his dad at the sawmills.
When working at a sawmill in Dolores, CO in 1959, Dave, his brother Randy, and a couple friends went to the drive-in movies where he ended up meeting his wife of 64 years, Linda. When they married in 1962 and moved to Alamogordo, NM, Dave was working for Wes Jackson’s Sawmill and they began their family. They relocated to Espanola, NM to continue to work for Jackson. They returned home to Alamogordo a few months later where he started working for White Sands Sawmill.
Dave later worked for Vebco before they started B&D Fabricating in 1990 in Alamogordo and then in 1992, they moved it to Las Cruces. David stayed busy building truck beds and welding until 2004 when he officially retired. After that, he spent time with Linda, family, and his dog, Sugar Baby, and now, Minnie.
David is preceded in death by his parents; grandparents, David Cam and Rebecca Elizabeth Calton Melton, and Allen Robert and Mary E Middleton Bishop; brothers, Allen, Bill, and Randy; sisters, Pearl, Ruby, Juanita, Jean, and Nancy; sibling in-laws, Sue, Lum, John, Jim, Vic, Tony, Bob, Charlie, Allen, and Danny; granddaughter, Suelynn; great grandsons, Chase and Garrison.
He is survived by his wife, LInda; his 3 children, Debbie and husband Jim, Roy and wife Jeri, Bobby and significant other Anji; his grandchildren, Mandy, Jamie, David, Brittany, Chelsea, Coy, and Gary; numerous great grandchildren; brothers, Shearld and wife Jan, Bobby Joe; sisters-in-law, Barbara, Carol, and Cindy; numerous nieces and nephews.
Services for David will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at Alamogordo Funeral Home at 2301 E 1st St. Viewing will be at 9:00 am, with funeral service at 10:00 am. Graveside service will follow at Monte Vista Cemetery.
Pall bearers will be Shearld Melton, Bobby Joe Melton, Roy Melton, Bobby Melton, Randy Melton, and Joe Whitted. Honorary pallbearers will be David’s grandsons.
Flowers can be sent to Alamogordo Funeral or in lieu of flowers, a donation to the Dementia Society of America or Movement Church in Las Cruces, NM.
