Raymond Meleton,

Raymond Ignace (Noddy) Meleton, 88, of Crowley, Tx., entered eternal life on Monday, March 7, 2011, at the Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital in Arlington, Tx., due to complications associated with congestive heart failure. Born on February 17, 1923, in Shreveport, La., to parents Francis Joseph Meleton and Gertrude Grace Jacobs, Raymond attended St. John's High School, now Loyola College Prep, and was graduated from Byrd High School in 1940. Following high school, he attended Louisiana Tech and Centenary College where he studied petroleum engineering mechanical drawing, and mathematics. A petroleum production engineer, he was employed by several companies including Arkansas Fuel Oil in Shreveport, CAMCO, Harold Brown Co. and Baker Oil Tools, Inc. in Houston, WHC Lease Service, Inc. in Lafayette, La., and United Specialties in Rosenberg, Tx. Following retirement from the oil and gas industry, Raymond worked as an independent locksmith and with his wife as resident managers of hotels. He married Virginia Leod Cook on December 2, 1944 at St. John Berchman Catholic Church in Shreveport, La. Together they had six children, Raymond I. Meleton, Jr., Virginia (Ginger) S. Cole, David C. Meleton (deceased), Anna (Nan) M. Sayers, Mary T. Krieg, and Marguerite (Rita) M. Case. An Eagle Scout, Raymond is remembered for living the qualities of the Boy Scout law. He valued duty to God and country, duty to others, and duty to self. Raymond was known for being mechanically inclined and paying meticulous attention to detail. He took great pleasure in building flyable airplanes with his brother, tinkering with engines and working on vehicles as a "shade tree" mechanic, serving his country in the Naval Reserves, performing in local theatre productions, creating intricate, finely wrought designs, discovering alternative methods to repair items, and serving his Lord as a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. A former Grand Knight of Council 803 in Houston, Raymond, a devout Catholic, was a member of numerous councils throughout Louisiana and Texas including Lafayette's 3470, Sugar Land's 4204, Richmond's 7445, and Fort Worth's 2813. He served the Church as an altar boy, lector, usher, money counter, and CCE teacher. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, 5 months, and 25 days (as he would say); son, David; sister, Beatrice Haglund, and brothers Frank, Pierce, and Clinton Meleton. He is survived by his children Ray, Jr. of Richmond, Tx., Ginger (husband Joseph) of Waxahachie, Tx., Nan (husband DeLea) of Arlington, Tx., Mary (husband Jeffrey) of Grand Prairie, Tx., and Rita of Rosenberg, Tx., along with 24 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, sisters Marie Sartori (William) of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Barbara Kirchner of Circle, Montana. Vigil service is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Francis Village Catholic Chapel in Crowley, Texas. A funeral Mass will take place on Friday, March 11, at 11 a.m. also at St. Francis Village Catholic Chapel, and the committal service will take place on Saturday, March 12, at 11 a.m. at the Forest Park Cemetery in Shreveport, La. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Raymond Meleton, please visit our Sympathy Store.