John Dennis Mellott, 80

After a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer, John Dennis Mellott, 80, died Friday, May 10, 2019, at the Lodge at Mills River surrounded by his loving family. John was born on September 3, 1938, the youngest child of the late John and Ina Squires Mellot in Tiffin, Ohio. He was also preceded in death by three older siblings.

John graduated from Columbia High School in Tiffin Ohio in 1956; and then furthered his education at Purdue University with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1960. John married Margaret Ann West on June 3, 1960, a few days after she graduated from High School. After a number of engineering and managerial positions around the Eastern Coast in 1978, with his wife, Margaret by his side, and on a card table in their bedroom he literally created what would be known today as Storopack a major supplier of packaging materials that is not only used with confidence in the United States but with international customers as well. As the President of Storopack, USA, John’s uncanny ability and vision to assess the growing need of getting products to the consumer quickly and safely allowed him to enjoy tremendous growth and global saturation of the market. As the company grew, John had to travel a lot for business, but he always was open for a new adventure with Margaret on any mode of transportation they could find in order to explore the world.

John was a firm believer that from those to whom much has been given much is expected. After John and Margaret relocated to Hendersonville, he had much more time to immerse himself in the community. He was an eager volunteer at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club in Hendersonville not only tutoring and mentoring their youth but serving on their board as well.

John is survived by his wife and partner of over 58 years, Margaret, with whom he had unconditional devotion and love for. He is also survived by five children: J. Denise Francis and her husband, Mark; J. Thomas Mellott and his wife, Lisa; Kari R. Mellott and her spouse Diego Jordan, Dirk E. Mellott and his wife Jeni; and Mike Mellott. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Megan Andersen, Chelsey Heil, Andrew Francis, Claire Mellott, Grant Mellott, Della Mellott, Karen Mellott and Michael Mellott; as well as three great-grandchildren: Piper Andersen, Zoey Andersen and Gavin Heil. He will be deeply missed but his legacy will not only live on through his family and friends but through the business that he and Margaret started together.

The memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at St. John-in-the-Wilderness in Flat Rock with the Revered William McCleery officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the Parish Hall. A memorial service will also be held at the end of the month at Christ Episcopal Church in Glendale, OH, with a reception to follow as well.

In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations in John’s memory be directed to The Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Henderson County, 1304 Ashe Street, Hendersonville, NC, 28792.

An online register book is available for family and friends by visiting www.thosshepherd.com. Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors and Cremation Memorial Center is in charge of arrangements.