Wally and Karen in 2000
When Brock Hogle, Class of 1951 Totem II reporter, heard about the death of classmate Wally Melvin (51) at last year's Ivar's gathering, many of those in attendance wondered how Wally had spent his years since Lincoln. Brock was delighted when Karen Ramhorst Melvin (53) contacted him with the idea that Wally's books might interest his high school and college friends. He asked Karen to bring Totem II readers up to date on those years. For this information, Karen went to the best source, Wally's sister, Glenda Melvin Cassutt (53). Following is the story as reported in the recent edition of Totem II and included here with Karen’s permission:
“After Lincoln HS, Wally joined the Army and did intelligence work in Japan. When he had completed his tour of duty, Wally studied English at the University of WA. He also acted in plays at the Showboat and Playhouse theatres. Then he moved to Florida where he worked as a reporter for the Pensacola Journal and continued his acting in local theatre productions. Wally met his first wife in rehearsals for one of these plays. Largely because of his interest in William Faulkner, he did graduate work at the University of Mississippi. After completing his Master's Degree, Wally taught English in Missouri for many years. That is where his two sons live.
“Wally's first three books are available at http://www.amazon.com. You can search for Byron W. Melvin as author or use the following titles [or click on this link: http://www.growinglifestyle.com/us/j3767757]
"In the Country of the Young" - A book about first love in Seattle in the 1950's. The book is set at Lincoln High School and the cover design is by Dick Paetzke (50) Lincoln HS.
"At Sundown" - Could Celia, his romance at the UW, be The One or would he ever locate The Girl Who Got Away?
"Work in Progress" - A brash young man in post-WW!! Japan is given an unsentimental education.
“For those who don't like computers, Wally's books are also available from Crosswick Press, PO Box 95185, Seattle WA 98145-2185 or (206) 547-8973.
“In May 1994, Wally came to Seattle to visit friends and relatives. One day during his visit, his sister Glenda was tied up with carpenters working on her house. I was recently widowed so I offered to serve as chauffeur for lunches, ferry rides, and revisiting old Seattle haunts. As he came down his sister's front steps to my car, it was an exact image of that guy from 1952. Wow! We hugged and started a conversation that could have ended 4 days ago rather than 40 years in the past. We had such an easygoing, fun time during our touring that I offered to drive him to the airport; not wanting to think this would probably be our last meeting. Over a cup of coffee while awaiting his plane, Wally gave me a lovely silver bracelet he had bought at the Pike Place Market. He also asked if I could come visit him in Missouri. To say I was dumbfounded would be putting it mildly. So on the next long weekend it was his turn to show me around a portion of Missouri and it was grand.
“By mid-summer, we were burning up the phone lines. The talk centered more and more on his taking a one-way trip to my home in Edmonds. In September, I was back at the airport. His two small cases told me he wasn't all that interested in clothes; but in one case was the senior picture I had sent him when we were corresponding in 1953. Forty years and that picture had been to Japan and back via the Army! Soon a big moving van pulled up to the house and unloaded 16, yes, 16 boxes of books. There was no doubt where his interests lay. He rented a typewriter and started writing and continued writing for the next ten years. We were married in 1995 and moved to a condo in Ballard with, surprisingly, one room already lined with bookshelves. Just right for a writer. Our view of the mountains and sunsets was almost as glorious as the time we spent talking, laughing, and sometimes crying - once cancer stole into our home. I am so grateful to have such wonderful memories. Wally gave me ten of the happiest years of my life.”
Karen Ramhorst Melvin
October 2005