Essie LaVonne Mellor, 89, of Wood River, passed away at 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, at Eunice Smith Nursing Home in Alton.
Born on Feb. 6, 1926, in Davenport, Iowa, she was the daughter of Warren and Anna (Stip) Wells.
A past member of the Wood River VFW Post 2859 Ladies Auxiliary, Essie worked as a sales clerk at the Tri-City Grocery in Wood River and then at the Kmart Store in Edwardsville.
She married Charles V. Mellor in 1945 in Wood River. He died Jan. 9, 1967.
Surviving are three sons, Martin (Karen) Mellor of Chelmsford, Mass., Charles (Deborah) Mellor of Hartford, and Rickey Mellor of Alton; daughter, Penny (Sam) Pierce of Roxana; 15 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; grandson, Tom Mellor; two brothers, Kenneth and Gene Wells; and a sister, Mary Ann Whiteside.
Private services will be conducted with burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation.
Marks Mortuary in Wood River is in charge of arrangements.