Lyman Melton, Jr., 52, of West Union, IL, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Born on December 21, 1972, in Robinson, IL, he spent most of his life crisscrossing Crawford County, stirring up a little mischief, making a lot of friends, and always keeping people on their toes.
If you knew Lyman, you knew he was a workhorse. It didn’t matter what kind of day he was having or what shape he was in; if there was work to be done, he showed up and got it done. He spent most of his life in the oilfields, working for years at Fancil Oil, doing everything from pumping to driving tankers to running a backhoe. He also worked river barges in Paducah for Western Kentucky Navigation and later hauled semis around as a “yard dog” for ATS. Most recently, he was with Crawford County Oil and had just landed a new job that would’ve taken him all the way to Hawaii. He was supposed to leave on Monday. And man, he was excited! It was the next big adventure.
Because that’s what Lyman chased: adventure. He had a motorcycle and a wild streak and wasn’t afraid to use either. He rode everywhere, anywhere, without telling a soul where he was going. And more than once, he laid it over (much to the dismay of anyone who had just lent him theirs.) He was never happier than with a line in the water or the open road ahead. Hunting was in his blood (even when it wasn’t exactly legal), and he had a deep-down itch to see the world. One of his biggest dreams was to catch the northern lights dancing across the sky. It’s one of the few things he never quite got around to.
Lyman was the life of the party. A talker. A storyteller. A man who could spend two hours at Wal-Mart and never buy a thing because he kept running into people he knew. Everyone had a nickname, because Lyman didn’t just remember people, he marked them. He tormented folks in the way only someone who loves you can. He had a little bit of outlaw in him, but a big heart. He gambled his paycheck, stole your lighter, and gave the best advice you didn’t ask for. He might owe you money, but as he’d say, “As long as I owe you, you’ll never be broke.” And he always paid his debts…eventually.
He was a man of contradictions. Tough but tender. Wise but reckless. Quiet in pain but loud in laughter. He was stubborn as a mule (just like his dad) and wasn’t known for taking orders from anyone. But when his kids were little, he was truly a good dad. He loved his family. He didn’t have enemies, and if he did, it never lasted long. Because if you knew him, if you really knew him, you loved him. Not because he was perfect, but because he was real. He didn’t always walk the straightest path, but he walked it with grit, with honesty, and with heart. And for those lucky enough to walk beside him, even for a little while, the road was never dull, and the memories will never fade.
He is survived by his children, Jason Burke, Paige & husband Steven Dale Backus, Jeremy Melton, and Justin Melton; by his grandchildren, Justin, Cora, Liam, Zoey, Dawson, Dalton, Daxton, Dayton, Daggen, Myhlee Mae, Shyanna Sky, Olivia Leigh, and Tyler; and by his siblings, Jack & Faye Melton, Emma York, John Johnson & Lori Fear, Roy Johnson, Cindy & Dave Davis, Daniel Bice, Henry Bice, Steve Arnett, and Debbie Arnett. He also leaves behind a big extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Lyman “Bud” Melton; his mother, Nancy Bayne; his sister, Jane Rotholtz; his brother, Bodean Melton; and his grandson, Dallas Burke.
A funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson with his brother, Jack Melton, officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to his memorial fund, with checks made payable to “Goodwine Funeral Homes.” Donations may also be made online at www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/payments.
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