Melvin Wayne Floyd

April 15, 2015

Melvin Wayne Floyd, 79, died comfortably on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, with loved ones by his side at his home in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Melvin is survived by his wife of 55 years, Elise Newberry Floyd; his daughter Kim Floyd; his son, Ken Floyd; his brother Gerald Floyd, his sister, Lynette Wynn; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Born in Bainbridge, Georgia, the son of Joe and Thelma Lynn Floyd, Melvin met his wife, Elise Newberry Floyd in 1941 at the age of 5. They married in 1959 in Bainbridge and led an active and adventurous life together, living in a variety of locations in the United States and abroad.

Melvin served his country during the Korean War, and upon his return from Korea earned his degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Auburn University in 1961. Melvin’s academic and professional career in the aerospace industry spanned 40 years and included a spectrum of work that ranged from participation in the United State’s early manned rocket space programs to the design and manufacture of civilian and military aircraft, to senior executive roles within Fairchild Corporation and its subsidiary companies.

After his time at Fairchild, Melvin consulted for several corporations and took advantage of the opportunity to work abroad in the Czech Republic.

Melvin had an absolute passion for his family, and a fascination with all things numeric as well as anything capable of flight. Over the course of his life Melvin often found both adventure and peace of mind on the water. His depth and breadth of knowledge was impressive, as was his profound sense of honor, fairness and humor. Melvin was widely respected and loved, and is missed by those who relied upon him and those who simply enjoyed him in their lives.

Westside Cremation and Burial of Beaverton, Oregon was in charge.