Melvin Buck

On Tuesday September 22, Melvin Buck, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away in Aurora, CO, at the age of 84.

Mel was born in Michigan to Melvin and Dorothy Buck, where he grew up on a farm and was the youngest of four children.  He graduated from Ovid High School and received his B.S. degree from Western Michigan in 1959.  Mel moved to Milwaukee, WI to teach, and met his wife, Ann, on a train trip to Colorado with the Vagabond Ski Club.

Mel was a natural born teacher, a skill he practiced with equal parts patience and humor.  He taught drafting, strength of materials, computer aided design, math and manufacturing processes at Milwaukee Area Technical College for 35 years.  The friendships Mel formed at MATC were life-long.  Mel was a skilled craftsman and spent his spare time remodeling the family home, restoring cars, sailing, woodworking and jewelry making.

After retiring, Mel started a home repair business that he ran for 12 years. Mel also flew RC planes with the Pebble Creek Flyers and Lakeland RC Club in Wisconsin.  He built many of his own planes and enjoyed spending untold hours crafting the little details that made his planes special.  Mel and Ann spent much of their retirement traveling around the US, England and New Zealand visiting their children and grandchildren.

Mel is survived by his wife, Ann of Aurora, CO; son, Matt (Lauren) of Austin, TX; daughter, Jeanne (Ken) of Denver, CO; sister, Jean Sovis of Ovid, MI; three beloved grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

A small in-person and virtual service will be held Oct. 24 in Aurora.

Mel lived his life with a sense of humor, kindness, humility and a twinkle in his eye.  He will be missed.