Joseph Phillip Melton, Jr.

Joseph Phillip Melton Jr., of Lonoke, died on Friday, Dec. 30, 2011. He was born on May 10, 1929 to the late Joseph Phillip Melton Sr. and Floe Reeves Melton. He attended Hendrix College and then the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. In 1953, at the age of 23, he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives, where he served for eight years. In his first term, he was selected as one of the top 10 members of the House of Representatives by radio and newspaper reporters. In 1955, he was appointed to the Lonoke School Board and served on the board for 19 years, several times as president. In 1960, he purchased Melton Motor Company, which he successfully ran until his retirement in 2002. In 1962, he was president of Lonoke Industrial Development Commission and he was instrumental in the location of Ottenheimer Brothers Manufacturing, Jacuzzi and Remington Arms in Lonoke. In 1973, he was appointed to the Arkansas Racing Commission and served from 1973 to 1981, and he was reappointed again in 1983 until 2000. He was chairman of the Racing Commission for four years of his 26 years on the commission. In 1986, he served as president of the board of directors of Rolling Hills Country Club. In 1990, he was chosen as Lonoke Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year; in 1991 he served as president and in 1996 they named him Citizen of the Year. In 1991, he was chosen as the Arkansas Volunteer of the Year by Industrial Developers of Arkansas. In 1992, he was named to the board of directors of First State Bank and served on the board until his death. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Morris Melton, daughters, Belinda Downing and husband Dr. Dave Downing, Jo Anne Mincey and husband Dr. Greg Mincey, and Karen Dunne and six grandsons. He is also survived by his sister, Rosemary McKenzie and her husband Richard. There will be a memorial service at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at Lonoke First United Methodist Church with visitation after the service. Arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home, Lonoke. There will be a private burial of cremains later. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the church he attended, First United Methodist Church, 220 S. Center Street, Lonoke, Ark. 72086, or the Lonoke Scholarship Foundation, c/o First State Bank, 101 S. Center Street, Lonoke, Ark. 72086. Online guest book, www.boydfuneralhome.net.