Terry Melton

Terry Ray Melton, 78 of Azle, passed away Thursday July 17, 2025 surrounded by his wife and kids.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Eastside Baptist Church in Ranger. Burial will follow in the Alameda Cemetery directed by Edwards Funeral Home.

Terry was a loving husband, a great father to his children, a great friend to his brother.

Terry was born on October 21, 1946 to L.Z. and Emma Lois Melton in Gorman, Texas.

Terry started working at the age of 12 with a paper route. At age 14 he cleaned the shop at Sarco working there until he was a Junior in High School. While working there he was taught how to repair and make sport equipment. The manager at the time said if he had a boy, he would want him to be just like Terry.

Terry bouht his own car in May 1964. A 1964 Chevy II Super Sport, beige and red interior, 4 on the floor with bucket seats, two door, hard top. Brand new just off the truck that hadn't received its maintenance. He loved showing it off and even raced it.

Terry graduated high school in 1965, went to Ranger College and Tarleton State University in Stephenville until he got all he could out of the local colleges and went to North Texas.

Terry worked, went to college and got married at the same time. He worked at Victor Equipment Company in Denton where they made cutting torches for four months then moved back to Ranger. In Ranger he worked at Southwest Machine + Tools as an inspector for the parts made for bigger companies. Southwest Machine + Tools sold out and moved the company to Gladewater so Jerry moved to Hawkins near Gladewater. He stayed a year and a half then moved back to Ranger. Terry worked for ELCO in Breckenridge where he was an inspector at the machine shop where they made airplane parts. He switched jobs to Subterranean tools to be an inspector and quality control manager for the machines they made that went in gold and diamond mines. Subterranean tools sold out so Terry went to work for Don Neville in his shop, Neville Machine Shop. He worked there for over 15 years helping run the shop. From there Jerry went to Ram and was foreman until he moved to Fort Worth in 1996 where he worked for Dalworth Machine Shop making molds. Moving on to Milcraft making parts for the government until they went out of business. From there Terry went to Sky Industry where they made helicopter parts. Terry finally went to SES to help make a movable Goal - post for TCU. He retired at the age of 70. Terry was a good machinist and a good provider.

Terry did different things in his life. He loved fishing, hunting, horseback riding and playing guitar. He had a horse named Princess, that he won trophies with as well as riding in parades.

Terry is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Karen Deniese Melton; three beautiful and wonderful daughters, Kimber Lee Rodgers, Kelly Renee Wilson and Karina Faye Turner; best friend and brother, Jackie Melton; grandchildren, Krystal Archer, Jessica Richard, Gabriel Wilson, Wyatt Turner, Owen Turner and Karrigan Tinsley; six great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his father, L.Z. Milton; mother, Emma Lois Melton; brother, Lonnie Melton; and sister-in-law, Wanda Melton.

Terry was great man. A wonderful husband and father and he loved seeing his grandchildren and his great grandchildren.