Virgil Wayne Melohn, Sr.

Virgil was born August 9, 1919 to the proud parents, Sarah Elizabeth and Charles Edward Melohn. He graduated Nevada High School in 1938 with a full music scholarship to Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. In February 1941 Virgil enlisted in the Air Force. In 1944, he was stationed at Key Field in Meridian, Mississippi when he met Grace Evelyn Melohn on a blind date. That night he told his buddies he had met the girl he was going to marry. He did just that 5 months later, and they had 67 wonderful years together. After serving 56 months in the service, he enrolled in Education at Mississippi State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in 1949 and a masters in 1950. While at MSU he was awarded the academic honors of Phi Eta Sigma, Kappa Mu Epsilon and Beta Beta Beta. Additionally, he was in Blue Key and Oma Delta Kappa. Virgil also played tuba in The Famous Maroon Band.

Virgil was elected Superintendent of Schools at McCool, MS in 1950. During his 3 years at McCool, he was elected president of the High School Principal’s Association. He then worked at Superior Coach for 3 years as the advertising and sales manager. He returned to education, serving as high school principal and assistant superintendent at Kosciusko High School. For the next 26 years Virgil was employed as a sales representative for L. G. Balfour Company, retiring in 1986 to concentrate on his property rental business he began in 1980. After3 years retirement he returned to L. G Balfour to manage the company for one year. For the next three years he owned and operated a year book company. He returned to the property rental business where the number of houses he owned and rented grew to 19 at one time. He continued in the rental business until his death.

Outside his family and work, Virgil had 3 other passions: dancing, travel, and the card game bridge. Virgil and Grace loved to dance; that was a major part of all 67 years of their time together. Virgil was President of the Capital City Dance Club for 2 years. As for travel, he and Grace traveled to 5 continents and took 23 cruises over a span of 24 years. As for bridge, a game he learned while a student at MSU, he played all his adult life. He continued playing until his death at age 101.

Virgil was a devout Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus and Alhambra.

Virgil was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Grace Callahan Melohn. He is survived by 3 children Lynne Sharp, Wayne Melohn (Diane) and Jim Melohn (Laura) and 7 grandchildren Jan Davis (Clay), Adam Keisman (Stacy), Mike Melohn (Sonya), Christopher (Kyle), Billy Needham (Valerie), Sarah Benitez, Melissa Bloss (Matt) and 8 great grandchildren.

Visitation will be 9:00 am - 10:00am Monday March 29, 2021 at St. Richard Catholic Church, 1242 Lynwood Dr., Jackson, MS 39206. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00am Monday at the church. Burial will follow in Parkway memorial Cemetery, in Ridgeland.

You may access the St. Richard website for online streaming the service at 10 am Monday.