DeLeen Melton

DeLeen Stark Melton was born March 22, 1947, in Dallas, TX. She is the daughter of Linn McKenzie Stark and Mildred Gideon Stark. She grew up in Dallas during her childhood years attending Mount Alburn Elementary, JL Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High school. She was a member of the Woodrow Wilson drill team. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1965. During those years she met her sweetheart Larey Melton. They dated in high school and were married on June 21, 1965.

In April of 1966, their first son was born, Kevin Blake Melton and then in November of 1968, they had their second son Kyle Wayne Melton. The family lived in the Dallas/Mesquite area until 1978 when they moved to a farm just west of Commerce, TX. They felt the rural environment would be a better place to raise the boys.

When DeLeen and Larey were first married, DeLeen was a stay-at-home mom taking care of household chores and raising the boys. This allowed her to take them to many events. The boys got to eat breakfast with Bozo the clown, go the freedom train in 1976 celebrating the bicentennial, and to many soccer and football games. Then as the boys got a little older, she returned to school to get a degree in Nursing. In 1978 she obtained her degree in Nursing. She began working at Greenville hospital and then moved around to several other hospitals during her nursing career. In 1989, she began working for Aetna Insurance as a nurse consultant. She continued with this type of work with several other employers until she retired in 2015.

Once she retired, she spent as much time possible spending time attending her grandchildren’s activities. She watched numerous animal judging contests, gymnastics, dance competitions and other athletic events. She loved and enjoyed her dog Gizmo and took him nearly everywhere she went. He would get very mad if he did not get to go! She also enjoyed riding in the side by side checking the cows and counting the calves.

She passed away on December 2, 2025, next to her family after a short battle with COPD. She is preceded in death by her father, Linn Stark, mother, Mildred Stark, and sisters, Michelle Stark Pemberton, Cherry Stark Wakefield, and brother William McKenzie (Mack) Stark. She leaves behind her brother Robert Stark, her two sons, Kevin and Kyle, daughter’s in-law, Dee Ann Melton and Shanna Melton, grandchildren Micah Walker and wife, Kaleigh; Kadee Todd and Kaitlyn Melton and Kamryn Melton and great grandchildren Kamile Walker and Woodrow Walker. She also leaves behind several nieces and one nephew and related family members.

A celebration of life service will be held Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Landmark on Lee, 2920 Lee Street, Greenville, TX.