Melvin Manly Smith

Melvin M. Smith was born May 30th, 1931 and died March 8th, 2026 at the age of 94. He was the 11th child of Ralph and Catherine Smith, and he was raised on the family farm on Thompson Road, on the southside of Fort Wayne. They were a very close family that shared many good times working and playing together on the farm. He graduated from Hoagland High School in 1949. He married Marjorie “Marg” Wick on July 18th 1953. They lived on the southside of Fort Wayne, in the country, joining some of his other siblings in “Smithville” where they raised their daughter, Marjorie.

As a family they enjoyed shopping, going to the movies, and out to eat. Melvin loved animals and over the years he raised a lot of different kinds on his small farm, including, goats, rabbits, geese, a pony, a steer, dogs and cats. One particular goat was his long-time favorite, Tina. He and Marg enjoyed riding the many motorcycles that he owned over the years. They often took trips with a motorcycle club they belonged to.

Melvin worked for many years at International Harvester in Fort Wayne, most of the time in the heavy duty truck division, and retiring from there in 1984. Later in 1990 he and Marg moved to Apache Junction, Arizona. They loved the warm weather, mountains, and the beautiful desert. He enjoyed spending time with his family when they visited. He continued his love for animals in Arizona by raising several different rabbits over the years. He and Marg (and his rabbits) would travel back to Fort Wayne to spend summers with their family.

Melvin was a quiet, soft-spoken man with a big heart and an even bigger sense of humor. He loved to tease ANYONE if he could get away with it. One thing many people learned about teasing Melvin was beware of starting anything with him. He had a way of getting you back and usually worse than what was done to him; just ask his son-in-law, Denny. He loved to laugh. If the joke was on him, he managed to turn it around onto you, but with all laughing in the end.

He loved to be outside, even working or sitting outside in Arizona’s 100+ degree weather for hours. After Marg’s death in 2023, Melvin moved back to Fort Wayne and lived with his grand-daughter, Brandy, and her family. There he made many new friends and enjoyed being taken care of by his family, who he loved dearly.

He is survived by his grandchildren, Brandy Beck (Izaak) and Bradley Kelsey (Rachel), grand-daughter, Ina, son-in-law, Dennis Kelsey, his sister, Gloria Close all of Fort Wayne, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and dear friends. Melvin was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 70 years, Marjorie “Marg” Smith and his daughter, Marjorie Kelsey, siblings, Thelma Clem, Laverne Myer, Roy Smith, Russell Smith, Malvina Tindall, Marietta Shive, Ruth Oetting, Calvin Smith, Ralph L. Smith and Walter Smith.

Memorial service will be Saturday, April 25th, 2:00pm at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 11181 IN-37, New Haven, Indiana, with visitation starting at 1:00pm.