Melvin C. Clapp
May 8, 1933 - May 22, 2005
Obituary
Melvin C. Clapp
Age 72, retired, died at Garden Terrace Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence on Sunday, May 22, 2005, following a courageous battle with dementia.
He was born on May 8, 1933, in the Town of Torrington, Wyoming, to the late Sydney and Ida Belle Clapp. He moved to Oroville, Washington in 1939 and to Wenatchee, Washington in 1949. He graduated from Wenatchee High School in 1951. Mel served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. After being discharged from the army, he worked in the dry cleaning business until he joined Cascade Natural Gas in 1956. Mel began his career with Cascade as a general laborer in Wenatchee. On September 21, 1958, he was united in marriage to Marilynn K. Gustin in Manson, Washington.
Mel received several promotions within Cascade and became the district manager of Wenatchee in 1961. He was transferred to Walla Walla, then on to Bremerton, where he was District Manager in both Districts. In 1969, he was transferred to Cascade’s corporate headquarters in Seattle, where he was promoted to Personnel Director. From 1972 to 1981, he received three additional promotions as well as being elected to the Corporate Board of Directors. In 1988, he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer, and was elected Chairman of the Board. Mel retired as CEO in 1995; however, he continued to serve on Cascade’s Board of Directors until he retired from this position in 2003, having served Cascade Natural Gas for 47 years.
Mel was a past Commander of the American Legion, Post 10 in Wenatchee in 1958, where he was not only the youngest Commander, but also the first Korean War Veteran to serve Post 10. In Federal Way, Mel served on the Board of Directors of Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club and became President in 1978. Mel also served as President of the Association of Northwest Gas Utilities and served as a Director of the Pacific Coast Gas Association for 10 years.
Mel is survived by his wife, Marilynn; his son and his wife, Mike and Johanna; his daughter, Tracy; his son and his wife, Brian and Christie; four grandchildren, Jason, Jordann, Spencer, Ryan; and his sister Ann Canfield. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Henry Davis. Mel is further survived by other relatives and all of his friends who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Funeral services for Melvin C. Clapp will be held at 3:30 PM, Friday May 27, at Bonney–Watson Federal Way Funeral Home, 1535 SW Dash Pt Rd in Federal Way. Father Tim Clark will officiate. A reception at Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club, 3583 SW 320th Street in Federal Way will immediately follow the service. All friends and family members are welcome to attend both.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in Mel’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association, 12721 30th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125 would be appreciated.
We would like to thank all of the staff at both Garden Terrace and St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way for all of their help and support.
Mel was a good friend and such a nice guy to work for. Working at Cascade Gas with Mel at the helm was a true pleasure. He’ll be missed by all who knew him.
My thoughts and prayers are with Mel’s family. He was a mentor and friend to me. I will miss him and I will cherish having known him.
Mel, you will always be close to my heart. I will always cherish the great times fishing with you and your family. Your smile will last forever…. thanks for all you did for me.
Love Always,
Keri
I only knew Mel two years before he retired from Cascade but he was always glad to see me and always had a smile. His smile will live in my mind and heart forever. A few of us ladies here at Cascade always called him “the man” because he was a man who it was easy to respect.
May you cherish his memories for as long as you live. I know I will.
May you find peace in knowing that you will see him again.
Our thoughts and prayers are
with Mel’s family. We will
always remember his nice smile.
Class of l951
Wenatchee High School
Class of l951
Wenatchee High School
With my prayers and deepest sympathy to Mel’s family. He’s the person with a smile on his face that will be remember forever.
We’ll miss you neighbor!
Our sympathies to the family.
Mike and family, I, as you know, work with Renee in HR. I pray for the loss you feel and want you to know how much of a pleasure it always was when Mel came into our office. He had a way of lighting up the atmosphere just by his smile and kind demeanor. You were fortunate to have had him in your life.
Mel was such a huge part of our early years at Twin Lakes. He was President the year after Bud, and we became such good friends. I will miss you, Mel. My deepest sympathies to Marilyn and family.
I am very fond of Mel. I remember when we needed to re-arrange offices and Mel came to our area with his tape measure and measured everything off, to determine who would go where. We got a kick out of the fact that he wanted to do this personally.
I will always remember his dimpled smile and enjoyed getting a dance with him at one of the Christmas parties. He was a great dancer! I miss him.
We were part of Mel’s Cascade family. Mel was not only a boss, but a friend as well.
I have many fond memories one of which was the day he took a key off his key ring and gave it to me for the box he used to take to fire stations and talk about natural Gas. I still have the display. I was very fortunate to have been in his foursome at the Mel Clapp invitational in Wenatchee last year. We had a great visit. Mel was responsible for my job, retirement, medical, working conditions, promotions etc. I was part of his Cascade family and I felt like he was my boss, friend and father figure. I, like so many, will think of him always with kind thoughts. I was at the funeral today and was glad to know that where his is now it is a lot cooler than the day we had.
Dan Thorene
Mel, you will be greatly missed… your smile, your laugh and all the fun times I have shared with you and your family, it truly has been an honor and pleasure knowing you, thank you for letting me be a part of your life, you will always have a very special place in my heart where the fish always bite, the wind never blows and the lake is as smooth as glass.
Mel, don’t you worry about the Quail or your babies as you liked to call them, I will make sure someone keeps them in bird food.
Good-bye Mr. Mel, I will miss you.
Always a Gentleman, a super human being. We can’t believe he is gone. Our prayers are with you.
I have known this man since we were sixteen. Thousands of memories!!! Marilynn we have had lots of great talks. Hope we continue to do so. My most sincere thoughts are with you, Michael and his family, Tracy Jo, and Brian and his family
Mel was such a wonderful, kind and caring person that will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. He knew all employees and their spouses by their first name. But that was the days when employees were treated with respect and as one big family. Mel saw to that. His warm smile will surely be missed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.
You will greatly be missed. I will remember all the great times from the trip to CA with the family to the fishing in eastern Wa to the Golf outings, and even the times I mowed your lawn. You made a difference in my life and always made me feel a part of your family. You made your family proud and your legacy will live on.