Melvin Jacob Wright
June 20, 1936 ~ October 8, 2016
MELVIN JACOB WRIGHT went to be with our dear Lord on Saturday
October 8, 2016. Melvin passed away peacefully at home at the age of
80 in the presence of his very special friends whom he considered family.
Melvin received his final blessing and prayers were read from his
treasured English/Lakota prayer book given to him by his grandmother
who raised him.
Melvin was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up on the
Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation near Eagle Butte, South
Dakota. He spent many a day swimming in the Missouri River. Melvin
was a very kind and loving man and quite religious. He served as an
usher at his Episcopal church on the reservation
Melvin was very proud of his Lakota heritage and had served as a
tribal elder. He raised horses and at one time owned his own herd of
horses. He worked in ranching, farming, and rode bucking broncs in
many rodeos over the years. He would hunt to put meat on the table for
everyone, including members of the surrounding reservation community.
Everyone counted on Melvin to help provide and he did. Every time he
shot a dear he would divide it up and make sure everyone got a share.
Melvin served in the US Army and fought in battle, putting his life on the
line to save many others, he was a hero.
Melvin enjoyed the spring round-up and branding of cattle each year
and after he moved to Texas he would travel from his home in New
Braunfels to South Dakota to take part in the tradition and visit the friends
and family he loved so dearly. Some of his happiest times were spent
with his friends Clay Claymore and Grady Claymore hunting on the
reservation. Melvin loved to travel every chance he got and found it to be
very important to stay in touch with the people he loved.
Melvin was a skilled mechanic and worked at RV repair. He was
also a skilled draftsman with blueprints, carpenter, and handy man. He
was quite the craftsman in creating beautiful hand-made knives and also
knew how to sew and spent time building, refurbishing, and upholstering
furniture. He also found time to garden every spring and summer and he
loved his tomatoes and peppers. Melvin enjoyed being in the spotlight
with his country song writing and guitar playing in public and in private.
He was always quick to pull out his guitar and strike up a song with
friends and family joining in on the front porch with lots of singing,
laughing, and joke telling. Melvin loved buying his lottery tickets every
Saturday and getting out and about every chance he got to go shopping,
visit the lawn mower repair shop, and buy tools and specialty wood for his
many projects. He was always ready to jump up and go!
Melvin was preceded in death by his mother Rose Braddy Bell, his
father Clifford Andersen (Iron Moccasin), and his brother Ronald
Andersen. He is survived by two half-sisters Ramona Goodlett, Tira
Ducheneaux, and by his cousin Darin Newbrough, his wife Janet and their
two children Shayla and Jarin.
Melvin is also survived by his very long-time loving companion June
Arnold and her children: Francine (Arnold) and husband Reynaldo
Acevedo, Joe Arnold and wife Karen, Tina (Arnold) and husband Terry
Gallion, Phyllis (Arnold) and husband Mark Kneese, and John Arnold.
Melvin is survived by numerous other cousins, nieces, nephews, their
children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be very greatly
missed.
According to Melvin's wishes, his remains will be privately cremated
and his ashes spread on the reservation along the bank of the Missouri
River. Please pray Melvin's favorite prayer for him, "O! Great Spirit".
O! GREAT SPIRIT whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world,
Hear me! I am small and weak,
I need your strength and wisdom.
LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY and make my eyes
ever behold the red and purple sunset.
MAKE MY HANDS respect the things you have
made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
MAKE ME WISE so that I understand the
things you have taught my people.
LET ME LEARN the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf and rock.
I SEEK STRENGTH not to be greater than my
brother, but to fight my greatest enemy myself.
MAKE ME ALWAYS READY to come to you with
clean hands and straight eyes.
SO WHEN LIFE FADES as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame
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Melvin will dance forever with Wakan Tanka, Who we call God or Yehovah. I look forward to seeing Melvin again
Cant help but smile during this time of sadness. Melvin brought that out in you. To family and friends of Melvin know that his easy going friendship bonding will endure forever in my heart and in countless others. As a friend recently said of Melvin, “the world needs more men like Melvin, God Bless him. “
I’m so glad I got to know this wonderful man. He was kind. He was proud. He was full of love. We will all miss him.
I will always cherish the memory of joining in song and music with Melvin and brother John on guitar, and the rest of the family joining in to entertain the the audience; Mom! We will all miss you.
To Melvin’s family, here in South Dakota we are very saddened to hear of his passing, a gentle and humble man, our brother-in-law and brother, we too shall miss him. We would be honored to be in the presence in the spreading of his ashes, so would you kindly contact us? Thank you and Sincerely with love and prayer’s Carol Andersen Halbert, Francis n Georgette Selwyn Boyer and Jim Selwyn
To Melvin’s family, here in South Dakota we are very saddened to hear of his passing, a gentle and humble man, our brother-in-law and brother, we too shall miss him. We would be honored to be in the presence in the spreading of his ashes, so would you kindly contact us? Thank you and Sincerely with love and prayer’s Carol Andersen Halbert, Francis n Georgette Selwyn Boyer and Jim Selwyn and Lois Selwyn Stock n families
To Melvin’s family in Texas, his sisters, cousins and relatives. We are deeply saddened about your loss, but we know that this is far from what you are all going through right now. We wish you all peace to bring comfort and the courage to face the days ahead. The loving memories of Melvin to forever hold in our hearts. When some you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. The memory of Melvin bringing out his guitar and singing with June’s family during the Holidays is one that brings a smile to our faces. He was a kind, loving man we are all the better for having known. We pray that your heart and soul will find peace and comfort during this difficult time. Live in the memories and the stories of your loved one. Our most sincere condolences, Darin, Janet, Shayla and Jaryn Newbrough
To Melvins family in texas, we send our deepest condolences. We spent alot of time ‘together at his grandma’s and my aunts house. He was very helpful to them, chopping wood driving them to their obligations. I was 12 or 13 years younger than melvin, so aunt lucy and uncle dave always seemed old to me. He was alot of fun to everyone he knew,never causing any trouble. But he would sneak off with uncle Dave at times and get into the hamms beer. But those were the fun times. He was truly a character and everyone liked him. May he rest in peace.
It is a great sadness to say farewell to a man that brought so much joy to all who knew him. Ever genuine, generous, and so quick with the warmest of smiles. Thank you Melvin for sharing your life with us and for being such an important part of ours. You will be missed. Until we meet again.
Melvin was a very interesting and humble man. He always had some kind of story to tell, and his words always had meaning I enjoyed singing and playing guitar with him and like any artist his songs where always appropriate for the given moment. He was kind and always willing to help. Melvin was my friend and he was also like a step father to me, he will be missed but he wont be forgot.
We love you Melvin and will miss you dearly. You will remain in our hearts and prayers. You brought so much joy and love to mom and to all of us. You had dark memories of sad things you experienced in your life but always kept those things private and only shared the good stuff. The good Lord knows your life was full of gusto. Thank you for being part of our lives. God bless you.
I often find myself talking to Melvin as though he was still here, its hard to imagine he is not. I had been spending a lot of time with him, taking him to the many places he needed to go, and getting all the things he wanted to get. I took his ashes riding shotgun one last time when I went to pick them up, and I played his favorite CD, Johnny Cash. Melvin loved to get up and go and he loved music and he loved playing his guitar. He played our wedding dance song 24 years ago, and played many times with us since then. He always had a story to tell about the people and the places he’d known throughout his life, and often a joke to tell as well as words of wisdom to add. He enjoyed working with his hands and spent many hours in the workshop he built, designing and building his own projects, and fixing things for people. He took great pride in his workmanship and it showed in the beauty of the end product. He lived a simple life and enjoyed simple pleasures. He loved my mother very much let all the rest of us know through his actions that he loved us too. We will miss him more than words can say.
I’m thankful for having known Melvin. I cherish the times we sat on the front porch and listed to him play guitar. I remember the time he showed me the knives he had made. I thought they were amazing, and that he had quite a gift of craftsmanship. To me, Melvin seemed like a page right out of the history books, bring color to life. I still remember the photo of him riding that bronc in the rodeo. What a humble and honorable man. I miss him, and will remember him always.
Melvin was a kind & gentle friend,with a good sense of humor!!! He worked for my husband’s family & used to stop to see us, it has been many yrs since we had seen him!!! We are very sorry to hear of his !!!
Melvin was a kind & gentle friend,with a good sense of humor!!! He worked for my husband’s family & used to stop to see us, it has been many yrs since we had seen him!!! We are very sorry to hear of his death!!!
Melvin was a good and kind hearted man, good at farm labor. He worked for my dad some. Sorry to hear of his passing. Condolences to his friends and family.