Funeral services for Billy “Keith” Melton, 66, of Portales, will be at 2:00 PM, Sat., June 16, 2018 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Todd Terry officiating. Burial will follow in the Floyd Cemetery with Billy Melton, Colton Melton, Timothy Melton, Michale Simonson, Chatham Tanner and Codey Tanner serving as pallbearers. Joel Crossways along with all of his truck driving buddies will be honorary pallbearers.
Billy Keith Melton, known to virtually everyone as Keith, was born July 22, 1951 in Ralls, TX to the home of Florene (Neece) and Billy Bob Melton, and died June 13, 2018 in Portales, NM. On Jan. 22, 1971 in Hobbs, NM he was married to Hazel Killeen. Mr. Melton was a truck driver his entire adult life. As a young man he enjoyed playing golf. From 1982 until 1990 he lived in Hobbs, NM and then for two years in Carlsbad. From 1992 until 2007, Mr. Melton’s home was in Roswell where he was a member of the Highland Baptist Church. Since the death of his wife, Keith had made his home in Portales.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Billy and Cyndi Melton of Portales; a daughter and son-in-law, Jara and Michale Simonson of Amarillo, TX; six grandchildren, Codey Tanner, Chatham (Kora) Tanner, Catelynn Tanner, Timmy Melton, Colton Melton and Reiley Melton; and one great-grandchild, Arizona Tanner. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, two brothers, Ricky and Mike Melton, two sisters, Janice Jean Melton who died as an infant and Shelly Seely and by his beloved wife, Hazel, who died Feb. 2, 2009.
