Mel Saint John

[Adventist News]

Melvin A. St. John Jr.

Melvin A. St. John Jr., beloved husband, father, son and brother, passed to his rest on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2004, after an automobile accident.

Melvin was born in Shreveport, La., on Sept. 17, 1944, to Melvin A. St. John Sr. and Elizabeth Brady St. John, while his father was stationed there with the U.S Army Air Corps. He stayed there a very brief time and then moved with his mother to California. When his father was discharged, the family made their home in Los Angeles and then in La Cresenta, Calif. When Mel was 8 years old, the family relocated to Jackson, Mich. Melvin graduated with a bachelor's degree and master's degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University.

He began his professional career in Berrien Springs, Mich., and worked for several employers. He and his family relocated to Newbury Park in 1976. His most recent employer was TMT Laboratories in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he was a project engineer and part owner of the company. Melvin was a past president of the Ventura County Motorcycle Club, a past officer of the Thousand Oaks Seventh-Day Adventist Church and most recently the chairman of the Ropes and Tension Members Committee of the Marine Technology Society and chairman of the Testing Subcommittee for the Cordage Institute. He was also a board member of the California Trail Users Coalition and active with off-road-trail issues. (Mel developed cables to track underwater submarines!!)

He is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Judy; daughter and son-in-law, Melissa and Jeff Castanon of Simi Valley; granddaughter, Ashley Ann Arthington of Merced, Calif.; grandson, Ethan Jeffery Castanon of Simi Valley; father, Melvin A. St. John Sr. of Newbury Park; brother, Brian of Glendale; sisters, Susan Forrest of Bakersfield (husband Henry) and Merrilee St. John of Tujunga; and several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. He was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Brady St. John.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, at Thousand Oaks Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 480 W. Gainsborough Road, Thousand Oaks. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to Casa Pacifica, 1722 Lewis Road, Camarillo, CA 93012; or the Southeast Ventura County YMCA, 50 W. Hillcrest Drive, Suite 215, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, in memory of Melvin St. John Jr. He was much loved and will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him. Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Bros. Griffin Mortuary, 1-805-495-4641.