John Patrick Melville

John Patrick “Paddy” Melville, age 91, of Kalamazoo, passed away February 27, 2025, at Rose Arbor Place in Kalamazoo. He was born June 9, 1933, in Alpena, Michigan, son of John and Myrtle (Bartley) Melville. John completed his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University. John served his country, first with the United States Army, Social Security Administration, and US Treasury Bureau of ATF, from which he retired. John relished building things, and made sure each project was solid work—right down to the transmission he rebuilt on his antique Allys Chalmers tractor. He was an avid reader, a hobby he passed on to his beloved daughter, Heather. He loved histories and mysteries, many of which he found while browsing in used bookstores. He loved stories in general, and spent many happy hours trading them with his sisters. John delighted in nature’s beauty in the gardens at MSU, and the peony plants, cherry trees, and pines that dotted his residence. John enjoyed traveling, whether for work or to Ireland. He quietly made the lives around him better every day wherever he was. He was united in marriage on December 12, 1970, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Battle Creek to his cherished partner of 54 years, Marion (Koloseik). He is survived by his wife Marion, daughter Heather Melville; sisters, Lorraine Petter and Linda Sue Melville; brothers David, Kenneth (Janice), and George (Jane) Melville. John was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Marjorie McDonald and Laura Griffith; brothers, Wayne Melville and Michael Melville (deceased in infancy). The family will receive friends from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the Henry Funeral Home in Battle Creek. Funeral service scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at Life Changing Ministries Church, 3932 E. Kilgore Road, Portage, MI. Rev. Thomas Gregg officiating. Interment with military honors will follow the funeral service at Fort Custer National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Habitat for Humanity or the Humane Society of South-Central Michigan. Memories and condolences may be left for the family at www.henryfuneralhome.org