Melton “Melt” Darwyn Wann, age 88, passed away peacefully at home in Fallbrook, California, on December 24, 2024. Melt was born to Joe and Mary Wann in Myrtle Springs, Texas on March 9, 1936, and moved with his family to Fallbrook at the age of 6.
Melt was a natural athlete, and baseball was his first love, although his high school coaches drafted him to play football as well. He graduated from Fallbrook High School in 1955 and married his high school sweetheart, Margaret “Peggy” Havins, a few weeks later.
Melt was a plumbing contractor by trade, but a skilled hobbyist at heart. A master woodworker from his teen years forward, he expertly crafted cedar “hope” chests for the women in the family, furniture and art objects. His most intricate projects were his hand-crafted chess games, which included the board, storage drawers and all the pieces skillfully turned on his lathe. He often engaged other family members in chess matches, sometimes losing but, most often, winning.
He also enjoyed fishing and the ocean in general. He and Margaret moved to Morro Bay in 1997 for a “19-year vacation,” returning back to their hometown of Fallbrook to be closer to family in 2016. He loved accompanying family members to large hardware stores to help make purchases, and everyone found great value in his wisdom with just about any project, many of which he would assist with.
Family was very important to Melt. He always put family first and was a very devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He had a great passion for life and fought hard to stay with loved ones this last year. Ensuring eternal togetherness with his family, he accepted the Lord as his Savior and was finally baptized in the summer of 2024. He will be missed, but the many works of his hands are here to remind us of the mark he left in this world. He will be there to welcome the rest of the family members as they also enter Heaven.
My dad, Melton, was a great plumber and mentor. I worked for him from 1981 until 1995. He taught me all phases of plumbing, including aspects of the business. It was invaluable. I miss him every day, so do the many customers that he had here on the Central Coast for 20 years. I have worked for so many of them, as well as my own. To my father, my boss and my inspiration: Goodbye and I will see you again. I love you dad, Joe.
Melt is preceded in death by his sisters, Shirley Calvert and Janice Dawes, and survived by his brother, Randy Wann. He leaves behind the love of his life, Margaret, children Linda (Costello), Joe Wann, and Bonnie (Vice); grandchildren Amber (Zember), Jessica Wann and Rebecca Wann; great-grandchildren Elijah Zember, Isaac Zember, Avie Wann and Loki Wann.
He will have a private inurnment, and public Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Servant’s Church Calvary Fallbrook, 1109 E. Fallbrook Street.
Please feel free to visit his online guest book and leave comments here:
