On the 8th of April 1932, in a log cabin, just northwest of Feakeyville, was born Harry Edward
(Corky) Melton, the sixth and last child of Henry Edo and Lucille nee’Fairweather Melton. He
passed away in Old Kuttawa KY on August 8.
Corky grew up on farms in Broughton and Eldorado. He earned a BS in Agronomy from
the University of Illinois in 1953 and then served in the Army as an artillery instructor at Camp
Chaffee, Arkansas.
Upon discharge, Corky worked for Allied Chemical, who was then pioneering the development
and use of liquid nitrogen fertilizers to improve crop yields. Corky dedicated his professional life to helping farmers improve yields and protect the environment through superior agronomic
practices.
He served as President of the National Fertilizer Solutions Association in 1966 and was selected its Man of the Year in 1975. Later he co-founded the Fluid Fertilizer Foundation to finance and disseminate agronomic research. He served on the Agronomy Advisory Board at the University of Illinois for several years.
Corky founded Tri-County Chemical of Eldorado in 1956, a local provider of precision fertility
solutions, which continues to operate as a family-owned business. He served on the Eldorado
City Council and on the board of C.P. Burnett & Sons Bankers. He was an active member of the Jaycees and the Eldorado Chamber of Commerce.
Corky was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann (Mitzi) Cagle Melton, by his beloved sister-inlaw/‘ daughter’, Beth Ellen Cagle White, sister-in-law Sue Cagle Suppan, his siblings Annabelle
Griswold, Mary Gholson, Charles Melton, Harrell Melton, and Henry (Dutch) Melton, Jr., three
nephews, and his aforementioned parents.
He is survived by his dear wife, Susie, his stepchildren, Katie and Nick Gullic, of Eldorado and
Lincoln NE, and by his son, Jeff, daughter-in-law Lauren, and granddaughters Astrid, Madison
and Ingrid, of East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
In addition, he is survived by his treasured sister-in-law/‘daughter’, Nancy Cagle Ledbetter of
Harrisburg, and by 17 nieces and nephews, including Mike Suppan of Lisle, Pat Suppan of
Makanda, Nadine Williams of Herod, Angela Stafford of Thompson’s Station, TN, Alex White and Kelley White Harris of Evansville IN, Ashley Ledbetter McCaul of Buckhead GA, and Brad
Ledbetter of Harrisburg.
Services will be held at Watson Funeral Home in Eldorado at 11AM on Thursday, Aug 15. Visitors
will be welcomed on Wednesday afternoon from 4 until 7.
In lieu of flowers, the family will be grateful for memorial contributions to the American Cancer
Society or to the ALS Association Indiana Chapter at 7202 E 87th St, Suite 102, Indianapolis IN
46256.
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