Gregory L. Melvin

Gregory “Greg” L. Melvin, 65, of Streator passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife and three children Sunday afternoon, Nov. 17 at 1:17 p.m. at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Bloomington, Ill. He had bravely battled pulmonary fibrosis for two years.
A visitation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 4-8 p.m. at Winterrowd Funeral Home in Streator, IL with a rosary will be recited at 7:30PM.
Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Streator, with burial following at St. Stephen’s Cemetery. Pallbearers will be nephews Dean, Darren, Randy, Brian, Butch, and Keith Melvin.
Greg was born Jan. 16, 1948 to Earl and Edith (Pittman) Melvin in Streator. He married Mary Ann Fialko on May 27, 1967. She survives.
Also surviving is son Thomas L. Melvin of Streator, daughter-in-law, Amy Melvin of Streator and daughters Amy (Kelly) Johnson of Kankakee, Ill., and Cristy (J.C.) Meredith of Bloomington, Ill.; grandchildren Sarah and Isaac Melvin, Lucas and Logan Johnson, and Brody, Truitt, and Aubrey Meredith; two brothers Roger (Brenda) Melvin of Coal City, Ill. and Michael (Shu-Ping) Melvin of Fort Worth, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl L. Melvin and Edith Melvin Boyd, and brothers Randall, Roland (in infancy), Ronald, and Dennis Melvin.
He retired in 2004 after owning Greg Melvin Construction for 35 years, working alongside his son, Tom.  He served in the U.S. Army Third Platoon, Company A, Ninth Battalion, Second Brigade. He was stationed at a military hospital during the Vietnam War in Saigon in 1969-1970. He was honorably discharged in 1970.
Greg graduated from Wilson Grade School and, in 1966, from Woodland High School, where he began working as a carpenter through a school-work program.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Knights of Columbus, and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Streator.
He coached track and basketball at St. Stephen’s School for 20 years. Greg worked hard and loved to play. He enjoyed fishing, especially with his family and his brother, Roger, and Roger’s family in Wisconsin, where he owned a vacation home. Known for his sense of humor and “one-liners,” he loved to laugh. He enjoyed a love/hate relationship with the Chicago Bears. In recent years, Greg enjoyed showing a 2002 Corvette at local car shows. Greg loved his family most, particularly his seven grandchildren, always instilling in them the value of hard work. He will be missed terribly.
Memorials in Greg’s name may be directed to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, which conducts support for families struggling with pulmonary fibrosis, or the Y.M.C.A., whose mission aligns with Greg’s commitment to athletics, academics, and American values.