Randal LaMar Melville

Randal LaMar Melville of West Wendover, Nevada, passed away on September 23, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah at the age of 67. Randal dealt with various health ailments which in part originated with the contraction of the Covid virus in 2022 to which he eventually succumbed. However to the end, Randal maintained his concern for his family and their well-being. Of upmost importance to him was the well-being of his loving wife Natalie to who he had his own form of sign language using touches on the fingers of her hands to communicate "I Love You" when he was no longer able to speak.

Randal was born on March 15, 1958 in Salt Lake City, Utah to parents LaMar Fay Melville and Dixie Jean Melville (Turner) both of Fillmore, Utah. Randal was the oldest child of 4 boys and spent his first 6 years moving about Utah (Salt Lake City, Fillmore, Wendover, Logan and Wendover once again) given his father's career in law enforcement with the Utah Highway Patrol. Randal attended the majority of his Elementary School years and Junior/Senior High School in Wendover, graduating as a Wendover Wildcat in 1976.

As an adult, besides any and all mining and farming equipment, Randal enjoyed firearms, military aircraft, deer hunting and fishing with family and friends, flying with his youngest brother, an occasional shot of fine Scotch Whisky to remind him of his ancestral roots of Pittenweem Fife Scotland and a good hearty laugh with his brothers.

Randal was a happy child wherever he was and began his love of large machinery and equipment operations at a young age. Being around 10 years old at the time, a close family friend Melvin Stewart began taking Randal on personal learning excursions out to the local potash plant to learn to operate drag lines and other equipment; this was Randal's first introduction to the mining industry, one he would spend his lifetime with. In his early teens Randal then leaped at the opportunity to spend summers in Meadow and Fillmore, Utah, with his grandparents (Rod and Bernice Stott and Melvon and Mary Turner) where he was introduced to farming and all the equipment he could run. If there was any model of John Deere including the newest to come out of the factory, Randal's Grandpa Stott was sure to turn him loose on the equipment for a summer of working the land. Though it was hard work, Randal loved it and he would take the opportunity to school his brothers on the in's and out's of any tractor, combine, hay wagon or other equipment being used.

Upon graduating Wendover High School, Randal applied for employment at the Wendover Potash Plant (Kaiser) where he was immediately hired. He was eventually taken under the wing by one of the foremost motor grader and equipment operators of the time, Ivan Lyons. For the next near 50 years Randal operated every piece of equipment and machinery the plant had, from old manual controls to modern day enclosed cabs with electronic touch controls and GPS. Randal ultimately spent these decades operating motor graders and other equipment in the ponds of the potash plant and there wasn't a day that would go by that Randal wouldn't look forward to going to work. He considered himself one of the luckiest guys in the world, for he didn't just like his job, he loved it; and enjoyed immensely his co-workers, bosses, managers and the owners of the various companies that owned the plant over the years. He admired a lot of people at the potash plant but in his last years he always thought it was a life reward of sorts, that a family friend named Shawn whom he was in a way a big brother to and watched grow up along with his youngest brother, would eventually become his boss at the potash plant. He couldn't have been more proud.

During his last year in High School a certain young woman and Junior at the time, Natalie Emery, caught Randal's eye and attention. After graduating the summer of 1976 being the gentleman he always was, he asked her father Robert for her hand in marriage. Her father agreed heartily and the two were married in Elko, Nevada that August. As a young couple, the two faced many adjustments and challenges which in the end unfortunately resulted in their relationship coming to an early end in 1978.

Several years later Randal's second marriage to Helen Gonzales of Wendover gave two sons, Skylar Bash and Seth Alexander which Randal held great joy and pride in; whether it be crayon paintings, high school sports achievements (Wolverine Football State Champions) or cultivating their own good lives and raising their own families.

In 2002, Randal rekindled his romance with Natalie which resulted in their re-marriage that same year in July. They were married in Wendover by the Wendover Justice of the Peace and his father LaMar Melville. Randal would often say that he has been blessed with a lot of love in his life from his parents and siblings, his uncles and aunts and his grandparents down to his children and grandchildren, but most of all his wife Natalie. In Randal's own words Natalie was his forever love, his first and last, his companion and caregiver, his life support and the one who gave him strength in the most difficult of times. As he would say, as long as Natalie is here, things are going to be okay.

Randal is survived by his wife Natalie Melville (Emery); his mother Dixie Turner Melville; his brothers Reese (Beth) and Chris (Arturo) and brother in law Robert Emery Jr. all of West Wendover, Nevada; his son Skylar (Gretchen) of Henderson, Nevada; his son Seth (Beca) of Cedar City, Utah; his daughter Jenifer Woodhouse of West Wendover, Nevada; his step daughters Holly Chaplin (Phil) of West Jordan, Utah; Kimberly Chaplin of West Wendover, Nevada; step son Dino Otto Jr. of Sacramento, California; along with 19 grandchildren: Grace, Hazel, Amara, Elliot, Alexis, Gabby, Julian, Nicolas, Cameron, Arian, Jonathan, Amira, Marquel, Angelina, Anthony, Alexander, Bryanna, Carli, Daniella; and 3 great grandchildren: Liam, Austin and Aries. And, special friend and cousin, Junya Thanakorn Chaonakaew of Bangkok, Thailand.

Randal is preceded in death by his father LaMar Fay Melville (d 2023) and brother Cory Turner Melville (d 1988).

To honor Randal's simplest of wishes, he will be cremated and there will be no memorial service held. His ashes will eventually be placed along with those of his loving wife Natalie in a family plot in the Fillmore, Utah Cemetery.

And finally a last word from Randal to Geronimo. Don't worry man, you will do well and get the job done.