Melbert Lee Hamilton

Melbert Lee Hamilton passed from this life on October 26, 2026.

He was born in Abilene, Texas, on July 21, 1940, to Floyd Theodore Hamilton and Melva Curry Hamilton, both graduates of Abilene Christian College. Though he grew up to be a man who usually carried a pocket protector, Mel had an adventurous childhood. He called many places home, including spending several formative years in the Philippines after World War II as part of a missionary family—where he even kept a pet monkey named Romie.

The family eventually returned to California, where Floyd served as a minister for several small churches. While attending Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, Mel earned his bachelor’s degree studying religion, math, and physics. Working one's way through Pepperdine was no easy feat, but Mel made it possible by loading trucks on the night shift and working weekend nights as a security guard.

During weekend visits to his family in Perris, California, Mel began teaching a teenage Sunday school class. It was there he met Mary Rohrbacker—the cutest one in the room. As Mel fondly recalled, after their car once got stuck in the mud, he proposed with: “Mary, if we ever get out of this mud, will you marry me?” That mud-stuck proposal led to 61 years of marriage. They welcomed their first daughter, Melanie, while living in California, and their son, Mark, arrived two years later.

To help clear his student loans—which offered half-forgiveness for high school teaching—Mel taught math at Bonanza High School for four years, spending his summers moving irrigation pipe and swathing hay for his father-in-law. Over the years, Mel took on various other teaching roles, including training medical staff to navigate computer systems at Providence Hospital.

Mel loved to fly. He held a pilot’s license alongside ground school and flight instructor credentials. If he made his passengers a little nervous, he considered that part of the fun. He had an endless supply of stories about navigating storms and making unplanned landings while low on fuel during his time training and working at Gibson Air Service.

When the family moved to Eagle Point, their youngest daughter, Mindy, was born. Mel went to work for 3M as an engineer and programmer, earning recognition for his dedication, long hours, and perfect attendance. He later took early retirement to launch Computer Country with his son, Mark. Mel knew his customers deeply, easily reciting their email addresses and a host of technical details most people couldn't begin to parse.

While retrieving a radio, Mel suffered a fall from a ladder that resulted in a severe leg injury—one that would affect him for the rest of his life. Adapting with characteristic grit, Mel used his walker and a John Deere tractor to focus on maintaining the driveway at their home on Perry Road, mowing, clearing buck brush, and monitoring upload speeds for valley internet radios. In 2020, Mel and Mary moved into town, where he traded the John Deere for an adult tricycle. In his final years, he could often be seen making laps around the neighborhood, frequently trailed by a parade of local kids on their own bikes and trikes.

In his last days, Mel faced dementia and a persistent leg infection with Mary faithfully by his side. Up until the end, you could often hear him call out, “Mary, Mary, Mary… could you get me some grape drink?” or remark, “My feet are really talking to me.”

Mel was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Melva; his sister, Floy; and his brother, Gary.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary; his daughter Melanie and her husband Bud; his son Mark and his wife Angie; his daughter Mindy and her husband Bill; as well as 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and his brother Homer (Ed).

The constant thread throughout Melbert’s life was his unshakable faith in Christ. It shaped every step of his journey—taking him to the Philippines, leading him to Mary, and serving as the bedrock for raising his children. He began serving as an elder at West Main at age 50, read his Bible daily, and made sure people knew when they made it onto his "drive-to-work" prayer list. Melbert was completely confident that Jesus was able and willing to receive him, and he wanted you to know that, too.

Mel will be laid to rest at Memory Gardens in Medford, Oregon, on November 3, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating your time to worship this coming Sunday.