Melvin Dodson Wagstaff, 95, of Winston-Salem, peacefully broke the bonds of his earthly life surrounded by loving family and devoted caregivers in the early morning of Saturday, March 31, 2018. He was born on January 7, 1923 in Cunningham Township, NC to Willie H. and Nannie B. (Thomas) Wagstaff. After an early life in Semora, NC filled with mischief and baseball, he completed one year of vocational training at the National Radio Institute in Washington D.C. and then entered the US Navy in the spring of 1943. He was enrolled in and completed a curriculum of Elementary Electric and Radio Material at the University of Houston and was stationed in Chicago, Houston, Corpus Christi and Vero Beach. Upon his honorable discharge in 1946, Melvin attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute during which time he met the love of his life, Geraldine (Dickie) Robertson Wagstaff. In June 1953, in the afternoon of the same day in which he was awarded his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, they were wed and began their lives as husband and wife. He subsequently began employment with the only company for which he would work, Western Electric. During the next 10 years, they would live in all four US time zones, finally returning to his home state and settling in Winston-Salem, NC in 1963. He loved gardening, baseball, home projects and being active as a longtime member of Burkhead United Methodist Church. But mostly, he enjoyed spending time with his family. Melvin is survived by four sons, Melvin D Wagstaff, Jr and his wife Suzanne, of Slidell, LA, William K Wagstaff and his wife Diane, of Aliso Viejo, CA, Robert S Wagstaff of Roanoke, VA and John E Wagstaff and his wife Linda, of Greenville, NC; and eight grandchildren, Andrew Wagstaff and his wife Anne, Rodney Wagstaff and his wife Allison, Laura Henderson, and her husband Drew, Sarah Wagstaff, William Wagstaff, David Wagstaff, Samantha Wagstaff and Jessica Wagstaff. He is predeceased by his wife of 47 years, brothers, Draper Wagstaff and Allen Wagstaff and sisters, Mary Lee Phelps and Maxine Stiles. A brief memorial service will be held Friday, April 6 at 11:00 am at Forsyth Memorial Park mausoleum followed by internment. The family will receive friends from 6-8 pm on Thursday, April 5 at Volger & Sons, 2951 Reynolda Road. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Cypress Glen Memory Cottage, 100 South Hickory Street, Greenville, NC 27858. The family wishes to express their sincere thanks to their many friends for the love and support during the past several years and especially to the caregivers at CGMC for their often undervalued service to those under their care.
