Wanda Marie (Busby) Melin

Wanda Marie (Busby) Melin, 91, of Mill Creek, Paradise Valley, Montana passed away on Saturday, March 19th, 2016. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2:00 P.M. hosted at the Holbrook United Methodist Church (424 W Lewis St, Livingston) with her son, Jim Melin as the celebrant. A visitation and viewing will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Graveside committal and burial will be at Shorthill Cemetery. Fellowship will follow the burial at the Pine Creek Methodist Church. Memorials are preferred to: Pine Creek United Methodist Church, PO Box 442; Livingston, MT 59047. Wanda was born on September 6th, 1924, in Pray, Montana on the former Richie Pirtz place. She was the daughter of Sidney Earnest and Gertrude (Roup) Busby. She started her education attending the Six Mile School then attended Emigrant, Mill Creek Flat schools and was a graduate of the Park County High School Class of 1942. She furthered her education attending Montana State Normal School in Billings earning her Teaching Certificate in 1945. She later graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1968 with a Bachelors degree in education. On June 1st 1946, Wanda was united in marriage to Robert "Bob" Leander Melin, at the Pine Creek United Methodist Church. This marriage was blessed with two sons, James "Jim" and Gerald "Jerry". Jerry died at the age of 15 in a logging truck accident. Wanda and Robert started their lives together on what is now the Nicholson Place then bought the Mark Edick place on Mill Creek in 1948 where they lived, until Robert passed away in 2002 and when Wanda needed care following a stroke in 2004. She came to live the rest of her days at the Diamond K Lodge in Livingston. She and Robert had shared 56 years of marriage. Jim and Betsy, and their family still reside on and work at the ranch. Wanda taught at Six Mile School, Old Chico School, and the Chico School when it moved to East River Road, Mill Creek, Pine Creek and Richland Schools. She was the educator, school nurse and disciplinarian for all of these one room school houses. When Wanda was done with work she would head home to the ranch to work some more. They raised all kinds of animals in her younger days, the horses and sheep being her favorite. She was a part of the Busby family band, every family gathering was filled with music. She did needle work, gardened, canned, and was musical, passing that gift on to Jim and his children and loved to go dancing. She and Robert would go to the dances that Jim was playing as they especially enjoyed his musical stylings. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family, grandchildren and friends. She was a longtime and proud member of Pine Creek United Methodist Church, their womens aid group; Park County Pioneers and the Park County Cow Bells. A dedicated woman to her family, her teaching, and her land, blessed is her memory. Wanda is survived by her: Son, James Melin and his wife, Betsy of Mill Creek. Grandchildren, John Melin and his wife, Sarah; Graham Melin and his wife, Monica; Laura Voss and her husband, Steve; Sarah Iverson and her husband, Chris; Eliza, Rachael, Lilly and James Melin; Eric Schultz, Garrett Melin and Jamie Denny; as well as, a total of 13 great-grandchildren at this time. Siblings, Willard Busby and his wife, Norma of Big Timber, Bucky Busby and his wife, Sherry of Kentucky, Genevieve Dorvall of Whitehall. Sisters-in-law, Ruth Conlin of Livingston and Alice Townsend and her husband Murray of Billings. Nieces, nephews, cousins and many other relatives and friends. Wanda is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert; son, Jerry; sisters, Annie Larkin and Norma Busby; brothers, Vernon, Ernie, Alvah and Harold. Arrangements are under the care of Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory.