Arnold H. Mellor November 5, 1935 - May 17, 2026

Arnold Harold Mellor passed away peacefully on May 17, 2026, at the age of 90 in Salem, Utah, at the Advanced Health Care Rehabilitation Facility following a short hospitalization.

He was born on November 5, 1935, in Fayette, Utah, to Fred and Isola Mellor. Arnold grew up in Fayette, where he developed a strong work ethic, deep faith, and lifelong devotion to family and service.

Arnold attended school in Gunnison, Utah, and after graduating, he attended Southern Utah University in Cedar City, where he enlisted in the United States Air Force. During this time, he met Anna Marie Talbot, and they began dating after Anna discovered he was actually fifteen days older than she was — not a year younger, as she had first supposed! They were sealed in the St. George Utah Temple on September 14, 1957. After his second year at Cedar, Arnold and Anna moved to Provo, where he completed the ROTC program and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Marketing and his pilot’s license in 1959.

Arnold proudly served as a pilot in the United States Air Force. He flew B-47 bombers during his five years of active duty and later flew C-124 cargo planes for seven years in the Air Force Reserve, delivering supplies into active war zones during the Vietnam War. During his flying career, he experienced several near disasters that he was able to skillfully avoid or prevent. During those years, the family lived in several locations, including Big Springs, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; and Lincoln, Nebraska, before eventually returning to Utah to make their permanent home. Arnold loved his country deeply and faithfully served it. He achieved the rank of Major before his discharge from the Air Force.

Following his military service, Arnold worked in a variety of occupations. He was a salesman for West Bend and Wholesale Plumbing, worked in the open hearth at Geneva Steel, sold sewing machines and appliances at Sears, and later became a real estate agent for All American Realty. While working at the Spanish Fork branch of All American Realty, he purchased the school cottage in Lake Shore without Anna’s knowledge. There they built a new home and spent the next 53 years together. Arnold concluded his career working more than 20 years for the United States Postal Service as a mail handler and window clerk.

Together, Arnold and Anna built a loving home and raised five children: Brad, Michael, Marie, Jim, and Richard. Their marriage was marked by devotion, sacrifice, faith, and service to others. As a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Arnold served in many callings throughout his life. While living in Nebraska, he was called as a Seventy to do missionary work and was set apart by Howard W. Hunter. He especially loved serving in the Young Men organization and took great pride in the influence he had on the young men he served.

Arnold and Anna loved missionary work. Together they served a full-time mission in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission, where they lovingly served and proselytized among the people of Wilmar, Minnesota. They also served three summer and fall missions at the Martin’s Cove Visitor Center in Wyoming, a place especially meaningful to their family heritage and faith. One of Arnold’s favorite experiences there was spending quiet afternoons with Anna in the Cove where the Martin Handcart Company had camped, or portraying Ephraim Hanks, who was sent by President Brigham Young to rescue the Saints.

Arnold and Anna also served at the Provo Missionary Training Center as shift leaders for English as a Second Language missionaries. Arnold later served faithfully as an ordinance worker in both the Provo and Payson Temples. He had a strong testimony of the Restoration, the temple, and the Savior’s work on the earth.

Arnold loved his family deeply and found great joy in spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was known for his humor, unique loud laugh, storytelling, patience, and love of aviation. He especially loved deer hunting in southern Utah, where he spent time with family and friends telling stories, sharing wisdom, and enjoying the mountains together.

He is survived by his children: Brad (Tara) Mellor, Mike (Tiffany) Mellor, Marie (Brady) Prothero, Jim Mellor, and Richard Mellor; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren, with one more expected soon; one great-great grandchild; and his sister, Arva (Ron) Mellor Silver. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Anna; his parents, Fred and Isola Mellor; his siblings Lester, Roy, Rita, Curtis, and Gaylen; and two granddaughters.

Funeral services will be held at the Lake Shore Chapel on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will be held Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Walker Mortuary in Spanish Fork, Utah, and Wednesday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Lake Shore Chapel Relief Society Room. Arnold will be interred at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery with full military honors.