Michael "Mickey" Meljie

Michael Novack Meljie, 76, of Great Falls, died on Friday, November 1, 2013 of natural causes at a local hospital.Visitation will be held on Monday, November 4, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Schnider Funeral Home. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Michael was born on January 15, 1937 in Butte, Montana to Mike and Mary Meljie. He attended high school at Butte High School. He joined the US Air Force upon graduation specializing in radio grounds communications. He worked at the SunKist Dairy Farm in Elk Park, MT; Butte Ice Works in Butte, MT; Melpar Electronics in Washington, DC; and finally for the IBM Corp in Billings and Great Falls, where he retired after 27 years.He married Ava Lee Robinson in 1957 at Georgetown in Washington, DC.Michael enjoyed hunting, fishing, target shooting, re-loading, and gun smithing. He was a lifetime member of the NRA, North America Hunting Club, and Missouri River Shooters Association. He was a member of St. Lukes, now Corpus Christi Catholic Church, since 1975.He is survived by his wife, Ava Lee Meljie of Great Falls; daughter, Sherry Lynn (Brian) Wendt of Great Falls; sons, Gary Michael Meljie of Minot, ND and David Alan Meljie of Sacramento, CA; sister, Marlene Rose Meljie of Oregon City, OR; brothers and sisters-in-law, Sam and Thelma Holder of Lowgap, NC, Bill and Linda Hicks of Mount Airy, NC, Wilbur Robinson of Galax, VA; one grandchild, Jolene Lynn Wendt, two great-grandchildren, Kaileia Jade and Khloe Monroe Wendt; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Mike and Mary Meljie and his brother Myron Meljie.In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the American Lung, Diabetes, or Heart Association or a charity of the donors choice.