William J. Mellon

William J. Mellon of Austin, Texas, passed away peacefully in his home, April 20th, 2016. He was 82 and lived a full and satisfying life. Born in New York in 1934, his native Scottish father died when he was nine, leaving him and his four siblings to be raised in Mooseheart, a non-profit "ChildCity" near Chicago. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans and proudly served in Korea as a soldier in the US Army. He settled in Danville, Illinois, where he worked in city government and banking. He was an active leader in a wide variety of civic causes including Kiwanis, Jaycee's and the Boy Scouts, where he earned the Silver Beaver Award. In 1985, he moved to Austin, Texas, where he worked for First City and then Frost Bank, later establishing his own business, which he actively ran until early 2016. He had a strong work ethic and a love of people, actively meeting and engaging new acquaintances and friends throughout his life. With a strong passion for his Nation and government, he was active in politics at the local level in Illinois and supporting conservative causes in Texas. He is preceded in death by his father, John Coogan Mellon and his mother, Margretta Smith Mellon Willet. He is survived by his wife June Chaudoin Mellon, and his siblings Robert Mellon, Carolyn Kirkland, Molly Konrad and Kathy Barnett. He was immensely proud of his three sons William M. Mellon of Bloomington, Illinois, Robert W. Mellon and Andrew Mellon, both of Austin, Texas, as well as his step-daughter Kelly LeConte of Clemmons, North Carolina, and step-son Phil LeConte of Austin. His loving family included daughters-in-law Karen Mellon, Carrie Clark and Carolyn DeWitt. His pride and joy were his three grandsons, Dalton Mellon of Peoria, Illinois, Austin Mellon and Ryan Mellon, both of San Marcos, Texas. He was a strong believer that each generation should strive to be better than the previous and this philosophy is carried on with his family. A small, private service for the family will be conducted at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery near Killeen, Texas on May 2, 2016. Memorial remembrances may be made to the Our Digital Heroes Foundation (ourdigitalheroes.org), whose mission is to help disabled military veterans find a skill, a team and a mission.