Cecil Andrew Melker

On March 5, 1924, Cecil Andrew Melker was born to Jacob Melker and Ethel (King) Melker in a farmhouse near Paducah, Texas. Cecil was the second son, born a year and a half after his only sibling and brother, Auswal Melker.

The Melkers were hard-working people who instilled a strong work ethic in their sons. Cecil’s dad and mom worked in the cotton fields, and Jake also worked teams of horses and mules pulling pipe for drilling rigs. They moved from Texas to Seminole, Oklahoma, then to Bethany, Oklahoma, Jake traded a block of land in the heart of Bethany for a small farm in northwest Oklahoma, in the very rural community of Cedar Springs, near Fairview. Cecil was four years old when they moved, and he lived there on the farm until he left home. His parents lived there throughout the remainder of their lives, and our family still calls the modest property the Melker Farm.

The Melker brothers -- Cecil and Auswal -- moved to Long Beach, California to seek their fortune in 1942, the year Cecil graduated from high school. Shortly after moving there, they both received notices to report to the draft board back in Oklahoma. So, they went back home. Auswal joined the Army and served his country for three and a half years before coming home again.

Cecil reported for his physical in Oklahoma City, but just a few days before he had been shot in the leg in a hunting accident by his friend Wayne. As a result, he did not pass the physical exam, so he returned to work on the family farm until the war ended. Cecil worked on the farm and also worked for the Rural Electric Company. Their father and the boys also helped construct the Canton Dam, creating Canton Lake in northwest Oklahoma.

It was during this time that Cecil began to suffer from back problems, so he moved to Oklahoma City to find work that was less labor intensive. In November of 1946, Cecil began work for Magnolia Oil Company (now ExxonMobil). A family friend, Wilbur Ewbank, referred Cecil to the company where he was hired to work in the Sample Lab where rock and sand samples from oil and gas drilling operations were washed, packaged and filed for future geological reference. Shortly after Cecil began his work at Magnolia, Auswal also moved to Oklahoma City and Cecil helped him get a job in the same department. They worked together in the Sample Lab for 11 years. Cecil accepted an opportunity to become a draftsman, moving out of the Sample Lab, and eventually relocated to Denver in 1973. Both he and Auswal worked for Mobil until their retirements.

Cecil worked for Mobil 38 years, retiring in 1985, and then did consulting work for them for another 3 years. One of his proudest events was his 35-year anniversary party at the Wellshire Golf Club, Denver. Work colleagues and family joined he and Lorene for a first-class reception and dinner. He was the guest of honor which he relished with a huge grin all evening long.

The most important event in his life happened when he was about 8 years old. One Sunday morning he and Auswal walked to the nearby Cedar Springs Nazarene Church and they both accepted Jesus as their Savior. Cecil wrote years later “I can still remember when I was born into Jesus Christ kingdom. I thought the day was brighter and all the world was greener!”

That event shaped the rest of Cecil’s life and the lives of generations of family that followed.

The second most exciting event for Cecil was when he famously drove his motorcycle to Dexter, Missouri to meet and then fall in love with the young and beautiful Lorene Ramsey. He soon then married Lorene on September 13, 1949. They tell the story of how Cecil put ten-dollar bills in the insole of his shoes just to impress Lorene that he was a man of means.

Two years later their first son was born, Rick Melker. A second son, Randal Bruce was born in July 1953, but died after 36 hours. It was one of the saddest days of Cecil and Lorene’s lives. In June 1956, a new blessing arrived – a girl, Cynthia Jan (Cindy). She brought joy into the household and has been a faithful and wonderful daughter throughout her life.

Cindy married Rob Stahl in 1974. Their marriage produced three beautiful baby daughters, Ranae Stahl Ramsey (husband Danny); Danielle Stahl Trevino; and Tiffany Stahl Flageolle (husband Tyler). And now these girls have six children among them, great grandchildren to Cecil and Lorene.

Rick married Roxanne Graham in 1975. Their marriage produced a beautiful daughter Chelsey Melker Sweet (husband Barry) and handsome son Keith (wife Jessica Cooper Melker). These children now have seven children, also great-grandchildren to Cecil and Lorene.

Cecil’s spiritual and church commitment shaped his life. He and Lorene always dedicated themselves to functional and leadership roles in the churches they attended. Throughout the years Cecil was board member, treasurer, usher, bus driver, and greeter. He and Lorene often represented their church in district and national church conventions. They routinely helped cleaned their churches and mowed the lawn. True servants. They even helped found a new plant church, holding the first meetings in the living room of their home in Oklahoma City.

For the first 24 years of their marriage, Cecil and Lorene lived in the Oklahoma City area. In 1973, Cecil accepted a transfer to Mobil’s offices in Denver, Colorado. They again immersed themselves socially and spiritually in their new church. They loved living in Colorado and took great advantage of the beautiful mountains, rivers, and the pleasant weather.

Cecil enjoyed fishing and watching football … and would participate in just about any type of sports activity that someone invited him to play. He loved to travel and visited coast to coast throughout the United States. He particularly loved to drive, but for his 80th birthday he took an Alaska cruise with Lorene and his children.

Cecil and Lorene loved their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In younger years they took their children to visit many of the great destination of America. Over the years much of their travel was to visit their ever-growing family. For several years they hosted an annual “Granny Camp” in which all the grandchildren were invited to stay for two weeks in the summer. The camp included many fun-filled activities that the children always enjoyed and looked forward to. The Melkers had the pleasure of seeing many of them commit their lives to Christ.

In addition to church activities, in 1994 an opportunity arose for them to work in a newly-formed organization in east central Denver called Crossroads of the Rockies. The purpose of the organization was to positively impact the lives of those in need through gifts of food, clothing, and education … all in the name of Christ. The Melkers volunteered once or twice a week for over 20 years, beginning with Crossroads’ opening day until Cecil was 91 years of age and Lorene was 84 years of age!

In late 2016, the Melkers moved to the Oklahoma City area to be near their son Rick and his family. As age was beginning to take its toll, they needed extra care in a senior residence. Cecil lived there until his death on the morning of September 12, 2020. He died there in bed after awakening that morning. Lorene will continue to reside there.

The staff there provided a safe and comfortable living environment for Cecil’s last few years of life. Centennial Hospice was enlisted in June 2018 to assist Cecil in his medical and comfort needs as his bout with Alzheimer’s became increasingly challenging. The staff of both the residence and Centennial were truly blessings to Cecil and adding greatly to his wellbeing. They are to be commended.

Cecil loved people. He loved meeting new people and often took the opportunity to help those who needed a helping hand. His neighbors knew they could count on him to not only shovel his driveway and sidewalk after a Denver winter storm, but that they might find an 80-year-old Cecil shoveling their sidewalk as well. Cecil not only enjoyed talking to people, he enjoyed listening to people talk.

God blessed Cecil with an abundance of riches -- a beautiful and devoted wife sharing a mutual love of each other and their activities together; a beautiful family who continue his Christian heritage; friends who shared fun, fellowship and gratitude over the course of his life; and a working career that was satisfying and a perfect match for his skills and disposition.

A blessed man indeed.