Staff Sgt. Joshua Melton of Germantown, Illinois, knew from the time he was a little boy he wanted to serve in the military. He enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard November in 2000, before he graduated from Central Community High School in 2001. His first deployment was in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom December 2004 to March 2006. He married Larissa Verdeyen July 22, 2006 at St. Boniface Church, Germantown, Illinois, and they became parents to Aubrey. Josh never knew a stranger, could make anyone laugh, loved being with family and friends and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2008, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry based in Marion, IL, as part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) providing force protection for Embedded Training Teams, Police Mentor Teams and Forward Operating Bases. He planned to retire from the military in the fall of 2009 when he returned from his deployment, having a wife and daughter meant more to him than anything, and he wanted to be home with them. Joshua was one of two Illinois National Guardsmen who were killed June 19 in Kandahar, Afghanistan when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife Larissa; their daughter Aubrey; his father Michael Melton; mother Debbie (nee Warren) Rodgers; brother Dustin and his wife Lauren Melton; Grandparents Elmer and Nadine Melton, and Bill Reddick; several aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws and friends. He was preceded in death by grandmother Clarice Reddick, grandfather Jinx Warren, uncles Dennis Melton and Tim Hitpas, and aunt Doris Legate.
Staff Sgt. Joshua Melton of Germantown, Illinois, knew from the time he was a little boy he wanted to serve in the military. He enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard November in 2000, before he graduated from Central Community High School in 2001. His first deployment was in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom December 2004 to March 2006. He married Larissa Verdeyen July 22, 2006 at St. Boniface Church, Germantown, Illinois, and they became parents to Aubrey. Josh never knew a stranger, could make anyone laugh, loved being with family and friends and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2008, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry based in Marion, IL, as part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) providing force protection for Embedded Training Teams, Police Mentor Teams and Forward Operating Bases. He planned to retire from the military in the fall of 2009 when he returned from his deployment, having a wife and daughter meant more to him than anything, and he wanted to be home with them. Joshua was one of two Illinois National Guardsmen who were killed June 19 in Kandahar, Afghanistan when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife Larissa; their daughter Aubrey; his father Michael Melton; mother Debbie (nee Warren) Rodgers; brother Dustin and his wife Lauren Melton; Grandparents Elmer and Nadine Melton, and Bill Reddick; several aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws and friends. He was preceded in death by grandmother Clarice Reddick, grandfather Jinx Warren, uncles Dennis Melton and Tim Hitpas, and aunt Doris Legate.
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