John H. Mellen
Vet, Lorain firefighter
John H. Mellen, 34, of Lorain, a Lorain firefighter, died Sunday at his home in a fire.
Born in 1958 at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morocco, he lived in Lorain 10 years. moving from Amherst.
A 1977 graduate of Marion L.Steele High School, in Amherst, he participated in track and field. Mr. Mellen the served in the Army.
He had served with the fire department for three years.
He was a member of the fire department's union. Mr. Mellen enjoyed playing softball and restoring old cars.
Surviving include his wife of eight years, Debra (nee Liller); sons, Nathan, John II and Joshua, all at home; his parents Kenneth and Beverly (nee Hambley) Mellen of Amherst; sisters Peggy Ann Vale of Avon, Debra Mellen of Amherst, Aimee Linn of LaGrange, Janet Hollingsworth of New London, Patricia Zvosec of Lorain and Donna Porter of Amherst; brothers Kenneth A. of Collins and James G of Amherst; a maternal grandmother, Opal D. Hambley of Amherst; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Norman George, in 1948; maternal grandfather Charles J. Hambley; and paternal grandparents Howard and Fern Miller.
Friends may call 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Garland-Misencik Funeral Home, 851 Park Ave., Amherst. Living Faith Church of the Nazareen will officiate.
Burial will be in Crownhill Cemetery in Amherst.
Chronicle Telegram
June 22, 1993
Father: Kenneth Mellen
Mother: Beverly Hambley
Born at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morrocco, He served in the U.S. Army, and was employed as a Lorain Firefighter.
He died in a house explosion at 439 Oberlin Ave Lorain.
info courtesy of #47320929 Msmith
Dejected dad dies in blast
Lawrence Budd
and Nicholas Riccardi
The Chronicle Telegram
Lorain-An off duty firefighter, despondent about marital troubles, died in an explosion on Father's Day that neighbors think he touched off.
The body of John Mellen, 34, of 439 Oberlin Ave., was found in the rubble of his home hours after the fire was reported at 7:47 p.m. Sunday, officials said.
The blast leveled the Mellen home. A woman next door, Marlene Velez, had to be evacuated when the fire spread quickly to the side and roof of her home, at 431 Oberlin Ave., witnesses said.
Fire officials would not discuss the cause of the blast, but neighbors said Mellen kept propane tanks in a garage.
Police suspect suicide but say the final ruling will be made by Coroner Dr. Paul Matus, who could not be reached for comment this morning.
I'm sure he's leaning toward suicide. The evidence we have is leaning that way, Sgt Robert Poli said.
Mellen's wife and three children were living with relatives in Elyria, neighbors said.
Minutes before the blast, neighbor Marjorie Trout had talked with Mellen, who she said, told her "Things are going to be a lot hotter here before they get better."
"He was very, very despondent. He wasn't the John who was always joking and laughing," Trout said.
One of Mellen's children had just called, Trout said.
Mellen said, "Hell of a Father's Day, isn't it?" she said.
Unable to life Mellen's spirits, Trout walked back to her house at 1158 W. 5th St. and then heard the explosion.
Neighbor Loraine Ritchey said she was driving by, looking at Mellen's home, when it exploded.
"The front blew out, the side blew out, Oh, it was just terrible. I've never seen anything like it and we had a fire," Ritchey said.
Within seconds, flames were visible through the roof of the old, three-story house, witnesses said.
Charles Pelton of Lorain said he was driving by Sunday night after watching the salvage of a barge and tugboat that sank in Lake Erie Wednesday off Lakeview Beach.
"The fire had to be fed somehow. Either it was propane or her torched the place," Pelton said.
A crown of about 100 people gathered to watch the fire. Neighbors hustled Velez from her home, directed traffic and mover her car, witnesses said.
Two propane tanks Mellen used in auto body work were removed from a nearby garage. A television set was propelled through a window in the explosion, witnesses said.
Officials estimated damage to the Mellen home at $30,000 and the Velez home at $30,000.
Mellen joined the fire department in 1990, fire officials said.
His wife Debra Lynn Mellen, 28, filed for divorce May 24, court records show. One June 11, a judge ordered Mellen to pay $290 biweekly for the support of his children, ages 4, 7 and 10.
Judge David Basinski also ordered the couple to get marriage counseling.
Mellen had been divorced once before in 1982.
Neighbor Eileen Danielson said Mellen "was really hurting bad." She said she thought Mellen set the explosion.
Poli said fellow firefighters had talked with Mellen earlier in the day and drove over to talk with him at home.
They left minutes before the explosion on another fire call, Poli said.
Debra Mellen showed up shortly after the fire started but became hysterical and was taken to St. Joseph Hospital & health Center.
Mellen had recently built gardens in the front yard and painted the trellises on what was one of the oldest houses in the Charleston Village. "They were just a nice family." Ritchey said.
Mellen mowed and weeded neighbors's lawns, neighbors said.
The Charleston Village home-owneres group is taking donations for the Mellens and Velez, Ritchey said.
Chronicle Telegram
June 21, 1993
Vet, Lorain firefighter
John H. Mellen, 34, of Lorain, a Lorain firefighter, died Sunday at his home in a fire.
Born in 1958 at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morocco, he lived in Lorain 10 years. moving from Amherst.
A 1977 graduate of Marion L.Steele High School, in Amherst, he participated in track and field. Mr. Mellen the served in the Army.
He had served with the fire department for three years.
He was a member of the fire department's union. Mr. Mellen enjoyed playing softball and restoring old cars.
Surviving include his wife of eight years, Debra (nee Liller); sons, Nathan, John II and Joshua, all at home; his parents Kenneth and Beverly (nee Hambley) Mellen of Amherst; sisters Peggy Ann Vale of Avon, Debra Mellen of Amherst, Aimee Linn of LaGrange, Janet Hollingsworth of New London, Patricia Zvosec of Lorain and Donna Porter of Amherst; brothers Kenneth A. of Collins and James G of Amherst; a maternal grandmother, Opal D. Hambley of Amherst; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Norman George, in 1948; maternal grandfather Charles J. Hambley; and paternal grandparents Howard and Fern Miller.
Friends may call 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Garland-Misencik Funeral Home, 851 Park Ave., Amherst. Living Faith Church of the Nazareen will officiate.
Burial will be in Crownhill Cemetery in Amherst.
Chronicle Telegram
June 22, 1993
Father: Kenneth Mellen
Mother: Beverly Hambley
Born at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morrocco, He served in the U.S. Army, and was employed as a Lorain Firefighter.
He died in a house explosion at 439 Oberlin Ave Lorain.
info courtesy of #47320929 Msmith
Dejected dad dies in blast
Lawrence Budd
and Nicholas Riccardi
The Chronicle Telegram
Lorain-An off duty firefighter, despondent about marital troubles, died in an explosion on Father's Day that neighbors think he touched off.
The body of John Mellen, 34, of 439 Oberlin Ave., was found in the rubble of his home hours after the fire was reported at 7:47 p.m. Sunday, officials said.
The blast leveled the Mellen home. A woman next door, Marlene Velez, had to be evacuated when the fire spread quickly to the side and roof of her home, at 431 Oberlin Ave., witnesses said.
Fire officials would not discuss the cause of the blast, but neighbors said Mellen kept propane tanks in a garage.
Police suspect suicide but say the final ruling will be made by Coroner Dr. Paul Matus, who could not be reached for comment this morning.
I'm sure he's leaning toward suicide. The evidence we have is leaning that way, Sgt Robert Poli said.
Mellen's wife and three children were living with relatives in Elyria, neighbors said.
Minutes before the blast, neighbor Marjorie Trout had talked with Mellen, who she said, told her "Things are going to be a lot hotter here before they get better."
"He was very, very despondent. He wasn't the John who was always joking and laughing," Trout said.
One of Mellen's children had just called, Trout said.
Mellen said, "Hell of a Father's Day, isn't it?" she said.
Unable to life Mellen's spirits, Trout walked back to her house at 1158 W. 5th St. and then heard the explosion.
Neighbor Loraine Ritchey said she was driving by, looking at Mellen's home, when it exploded.
"The front blew out, the side blew out, Oh, it was just terrible. I've never seen anything like it and we had a fire," Ritchey said.
Within seconds, flames were visible through the roof of the old, three-story house, witnesses said.
Charles Pelton of Lorain said he was driving by Sunday night after watching the salvage of a barge and tugboat that sank in Lake Erie Wednesday off Lakeview Beach.
"The fire had to be fed somehow. Either it was propane or her torched the place," Pelton said.
A crown of about 100 people gathered to watch the fire. Neighbors hustled Velez from her home, directed traffic and mover her car, witnesses said.
Two propane tanks Mellen used in auto body work were removed from a nearby garage. A television set was propelled through a window in the explosion, witnesses said.
Officials estimated damage to the Mellen home at $30,000 and the Velez home at $30,000.
Mellen joined the fire department in 1990, fire officials said.
His wife Debra Lynn Mellen, 28, filed for divorce May 24, court records show. One June 11, a judge ordered Mellen to pay $290 biweekly for the support of his children, ages 4, 7 and 10.
Judge David Basinski also ordered the couple to get marriage counseling.
Mellen had been divorced once before in 1982.
Neighbor Eileen Danielson said Mellen "was really hurting bad." She said she thought Mellen set the explosion.
Poli said fellow firefighters had talked with Mellen earlier in the day and drove over to talk with him at home.
They left minutes before the explosion on another fire call, Poli said.
Debra Mellen showed up shortly after the fire started but became hysterical and was taken to St. Joseph Hospital & health Center.
Mellen had recently built gardens in the front yard and painted the trellises on what was one of the oldest houses in the Charleston Village. "They were just a nice family." Ritchey said.
Mellen mowed and weeded neighbors's lawns, neighbors said.
The Charleston Village home-owneres group is taking donations for the Mellens and Velez, Ritchey said.
Chronicle Telegram
June 21, 1993
John H. Mellen
Vet, Lorain firefighter
John H. Mellen, 34, of Lorain, a Lorain firefighter, died Sunday at his home in a fire.
Born in 1958 at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morocco, he lived in Lorain 10 years. moving from Amherst.
A 1977 graduate of Marion L.Steele High School, in Amherst, he participated in track and field. Mr. Mellen the served in the Army.
He had served with the fire department for three years.
He was a member of the fire department's union. Mr. Mellen enjoyed playing softball and restoring old cars.
Surviving include his wife of eight years, Debra (nee Liller); sons, Nathan, John II and Joshua, all at home; his parents Kenneth and Beverly (nee Hambley) Mellen of Amherst; sisters Peggy Ann Vale of Avon, Debra Mellen of Amherst, Aimee Linn of LaGrange, Janet Hollingsworth of New London, Patricia Zvosec of Lorain and Donna Porter of Amherst; brothers Kenneth A. of Collins and James G of Amherst; a maternal grandmother, Opal D. Hambley of Amherst; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Norman George, in 1948; maternal grandfather Charles J. Hambley; and paternal grandparents Howard and Fern Miller.
Friends may call 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Garland-Misencik Funeral Home, 851 Park Ave., Amherst. Living Faith Church of the Nazareen will officiate.
Burial will be in Crownhill Cemetery in Amherst.
Chronicle Telegram
June 22, 1993
Father: Kenneth Mellen
Mother: Beverly Hambley
Born at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morrocco, He served in the U.S. Army, and was employed as a Lorain Firefighter.
He died in a house explosion at 439 Oberlin Ave Lorain.
info courtesy of #47320929 Msmith
Dejected dad dies in blast
Lawrence Budd
and Nicholas Riccardi
The Chronicle Telegram
Lorain-An off duty firefighter, despondent about marital troubles, died in an explosion on Father's Day that neighbors think he touched off.
The body of John Mellen, 34, of 439 Oberlin Ave., was found in the rubble of his home hours after the fire was reported at 7:47 p.m. Sunday, officials said.
The blast leveled the Mellen home. A woman next door, Marlene Velez, had to be evacuated when the fire spread quickly to the side and roof of her home, at 431 Oberlin Ave., witnesses said.
Fire officials would not discuss the cause of the blast, but neighbors said Mellen kept propane tanks in a garage.
Police suspect suicide but say the final ruling will be made by Coroner Dr. Paul Matus, who could not be reached for comment this morning.
I'm sure he's leaning toward suicide. The evidence we have is leaning that way, Sgt Robert Poli said.
Mellen's wife and three children were living with relatives in Elyria, neighbors said.
Minutes before the blast, neighbor Marjorie Trout had talked with Mellen, who she said, told her "Things are going to be a lot hotter here before they get better."
"He was very, very despondent. He wasn't the John who was always joking and laughing," Trout said.
One of Mellen's children had just called, Trout said.
Mellen said, "Hell of a Father's Day, isn't it?" she said.
Unable to life Mellen's spirits, Trout walked back to her house at 1158 W. 5th St. and then heard the explosion.
Neighbor Loraine Ritchey said she was driving by, looking at Mellen's home, when it exploded.
"The front blew out, the side blew out, Oh, it was just terrible. I've never seen anything like it and we had a fire," Ritchey said.
Within seconds, flames were visible through the roof of the old, three-story house, witnesses said.
Charles Pelton of Lorain said he was driving by Sunday night after watching the salvage of a barge and tugboat that sank in Lake Erie Wednesday off Lakeview Beach.
"The fire had to be fed somehow. Either it was propane or her torched the place," Pelton said.
A crown of about 100 people gathered to watch the fire. Neighbors hustled Velez from her home, directed traffic and mover her car, witnesses said.
Two propane tanks Mellen used in auto body work were removed from a nearby garage. A television set was propelled through a window in the explosion, witnesses said.
Officials estimated damage to the Mellen home at $30,000 and the Velez home at $30,000.
Mellen joined the fire department in 1990, fire officials said.
His wife Debra Lynn Mellen, 28, filed for divorce May 24, court records show. One June 11, a judge ordered Mellen to pay $290 biweekly for the support of his children, ages 4, 7 and 10.
Judge David Basinski also ordered the couple to get marriage counseling.
Mellen had been divorced once before in 1982.
Neighbor Eileen Danielson said Mellen "was really hurting bad." She said she thought Mellen set the explosion.
Poli said fellow firefighters had talked with Mellen earlier in the day and drove over to talk with him at home.
They left minutes before the explosion on another fire call, Poli said.
Debra Mellen showed up shortly after the fire started but became hysterical and was taken to St. Joseph Hospital & health Center.
Mellen had recently built gardens in the front yard and painted the trellises on what was one of the oldest houses in the Charleston Village. "They were just a nice family." Ritchey said.
Mellen mowed and weeded neighbors's lawns, neighbors said.
The Charleston Village home-owneres group is taking donations for the Mellens and Velez, Ritchey said.
Chronicle Telegram
June 21, 1993
Vet, Lorain firefighter
John H. Mellen, 34, of Lorain, a Lorain firefighter, died Sunday at his home in a fire.
Born in 1958 at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morocco, he lived in Lorain 10 years. moving from Amherst.
A 1977 graduate of Marion L.Steele High School, in Amherst, he participated in track and field. Mr. Mellen the served in the Army.
He had served with the fire department for three years.
He was a member of the fire department's union. Mr. Mellen enjoyed playing softball and restoring old cars.
Surviving include his wife of eight years, Debra (nee Liller); sons, Nathan, John II and Joshua, all at home; his parents Kenneth and Beverly (nee Hambley) Mellen of Amherst; sisters Peggy Ann Vale of Avon, Debra Mellen of Amherst, Aimee Linn of LaGrange, Janet Hollingsworth of New London, Patricia Zvosec of Lorain and Donna Porter of Amherst; brothers Kenneth A. of Collins and James G of Amherst; a maternal grandmother, Opal D. Hambley of Amherst; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Norman George, in 1948; maternal grandfather Charles J. Hambley; and paternal grandparents Howard and Fern Miller.
Friends may call 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Garland-Misencik Funeral Home, 851 Park Ave., Amherst. Living Faith Church of the Nazareen will officiate.
Burial will be in Crownhill Cemetery in Amherst.
Chronicle Telegram
June 22, 1993
Father: Kenneth Mellen
Mother: Beverly Hambley
Born at a U.S. Air Force Base in Morrocco, He served in the U.S. Army, and was employed as a Lorain Firefighter.
He died in a house explosion at 439 Oberlin Ave Lorain.
info courtesy of #47320929 Msmith
Dejected dad dies in blast
Lawrence Budd
and Nicholas Riccardi
The Chronicle Telegram
Lorain-An off duty firefighter, despondent about marital troubles, died in an explosion on Father's Day that neighbors think he touched off.
The body of John Mellen, 34, of 439 Oberlin Ave., was found in the rubble of his home hours after the fire was reported at 7:47 p.m. Sunday, officials said.
The blast leveled the Mellen home. A woman next door, Marlene Velez, had to be evacuated when the fire spread quickly to the side and roof of her home, at 431 Oberlin Ave., witnesses said.
Fire officials would not discuss the cause of the blast, but neighbors said Mellen kept propane tanks in a garage.
Police suspect suicide but say the final ruling will be made by Coroner Dr. Paul Matus, who could not be reached for comment this morning.
I'm sure he's leaning toward suicide. The evidence we have is leaning that way, Sgt Robert Poli said.
Mellen's wife and three children were living with relatives in Elyria, neighbors said.
Minutes before the blast, neighbor Marjorie Trout had talked with Mellen, who she said, told her "Things are going to be a lot hotter here before they get better."
"He was very, very despondent. He wasn't the John who was always joking and laughing," Trout said.
One of Mellen's children had just called, Trout said.
Mellen said, "Hell of a Father's Day, isn't it?" she said.
Unable to life Mellen's spirits, Trout walked back to her house at 1158 W. 5th St. and then heard the explosion.
Neighbor Loraine Ritchey said she was driving by, looking at Mellen's home, when it exploded.
"The front blew out, the side blew out, Oh, it was just terrible. I've never seen anything like it and we had a fire," Ritchey said.
Within seconds, flames were visible through the roof of the old, three-story house, witnesses said.
Charles Pelton of Lorain said he was driving by Sunday night after watching the salvage of a barge and tugboat that sank in Lake Erie Wednesday off Lakeview Beach.
"The fire had to be fed somehow. Either it was propane or her torched the place," Pelton said.
A crown of about 100 people gathered to watch the fire. Neighbors hustled Velez from her home, directed traffic and mover her car, witnesses said.
Two propane tanks Mellen used in auto body work were removed from a nearby garage. A television set was propelled through a window in the explosion, witnesses said.
Officials estimated damage to the Mellen home at $30,000 and the Velez home at $30,000.
Mellen joined the fire department in 1990, fire officials said.
His wife Debra Lynn Mellen, 28, filed for divorce May 24, court records show. One June 11, a judge ordered Mellen to pay $290 biweekly for the support of his children, ages 4, 7 and 10.
Judge David Basinski also ordered the couple to get marriage counseling.
Mellen had been divorced once before in 1982.
Neighbor Eileen Danielson said Mellen "was really hurting bad." She said she thought Mellen set the explosion.
Poli said fellow firefighters had talked with Mellen earlier in the day and drove over to talk with him at home.
They left minutes before the explosion on another fire call, Poli said.
Debra Mellen showed up shortly after the fire started but became hysterical and was taken to St. Joseph Hospital & health Center.
Mellen had recently built gardens in the front yard and painted the trellises on what was one of the oldest houses in the Charleston Village. "They were just a nice family." Ritchey said.
Mellen mowed and weeded neighbors's lawns, neighbors said.
The Charleston Village home-owneres group is taking donations for the Mellens and Velez, Ritchey said.
Chronicle Telegram
June 21, 1993
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