Melvin Salyards

Melvin (Ray) Salyards passed away on Thursday, July 6, 2022 at Mantey Heights Rehabilitation and Care Center Grand Junction at the age of 92.

Ray was born Nov. 8, 1929 to Lloyd and Anna Salyards in Eckley. He was the sixth of seven children. Ray attended high school in Haxtun. He worked his last two years of high school and lived in the town of Haxtun while his parents lived out on the farm. Ray graduated in 1947.

He drove truck for a couple of years until he was drafted into the Air Force in January of 1951. Before serving his Country he married his sweetheart Roberta Conaway on Dec. 28, 1950. He was discharged from the Air Force in 1954. Both Ray and Roberta moved to the Imperial Valley in Californa. Ray accepted a job as an accountant. Six months later he was hired on by Pacific Bell Telephone Company. His telephone career would last until March of 1990 as a supervisor of the Northern Region of Colorado when he retired. Ray volunteered for many different jobs during his working career to include working on the ambulance, chief of emergency services, coaching, camping and golfing. Once he retired, both Ray and Roberta traveled to many places in the United States including Canada and Mexico. Ray and Roberta were married for 62 years. He was a wonderful Grandpa to all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The grandkids shared words that they thought of to describe their Grandpa: loving, a voice of reason, humble, wise, happy, inspirational, versatile, social, loyal, dependable and he loved his family deeply.

Ray is survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family members and many friends including sons Jim and Kathy Salyards, Mesa, and Dan and Barb Salyards, Fleming; grandchildren Jeremie and Sandy Salyards, Granby, Cody and Rachel Salyards, Elizabeth, Melissa and Bobby Avey, Mead, Bryan and Alicia Salyards, Longmont, Shannon Salyards and Travis Salyards, both of Washburn, Wisc.; great-grandchildren Jackson and Addyson Salyards, Blakely and Olivia Salyards, Brynlynn Avey, Brooke and Aubree Salyards, Arianna Parish and Taylor and Ryan Mager.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents Lloyd and Anna; wife Roberta; son Steve; and brothers and sister Stan, Maxine, Everett, Eldon, Ken and Jack.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Haxtun United Methodist Church on July 30 at 3 p.m. with a light meal following the service. Please bring your stories or things you remember most about Ray. Ray will be laid to rest at Fort Logan Cemetery with military honors on Aug. 16 at 11:30 a.m.

The family will be planting trees and a rose bush to honor Grandpa. Donations are welcome.