Friends and neighbors expressed shock and recalled Sweet Home logger Robbie Melcher as a man deeply involved in his community and his family after Melcher’s sudden death from a massive heart attack at his home on Thursday morning, March 18.
“He was too young for that,” said Jim Cota, who partnered with Melcher in a number of enterprises.
Melcher, 40, was a member of one of Sweet Home’s most active business families. He, his family and Cota have been involved in a wide variety of community activities and efforts, including constructing the church hall at St. Helen’s Catholic Church, the Jim Riggs Community Center and new high school athletic facilities.
With many other volunteers, he helped his father, Mike Melcher, and Ron Moore build a new house for Dirrell Harper last year.
He was self-employed and a partner with his brother, Scott, and Cota in the Fun Forest tree farm, Melcher Logging, Timber Harvesting, Inc. and 4M Fiber.
“I’ve known him since he was a little kid,” said Milt Moran of Cascade Timber Consulting. They had been neighbors since Moran moved to Sweet Home 34 years ago.
Melcher supported all of the activities of his family, Moran said.
“He was a great guy, great dada and a really good husband, I think €“ super friendly €“ a great neighbor always helping us do stuff. I’m going to miss him. You never saw him frown. I’ll miss seeing that arm flying up, that wave and toothy smile.”
Cota and others echoed that assessment.
“He didn’t have a mean bone in his body,” Cota said. “That’s all I can say.”
Robbie and Scott Melcher and Cota were named Loggers of the Year by Associated Oregon Loggers in January.
Moran believes they received the award for their pioneering work in fuels reduction in Deschutes County.
“They’ve earned the trust of the environmental community over there,” he said. “These guys have been able to show that loggers are great stewards of the land. Robbie was right in the middle of that.”
All three were recognized by the Small Woodlands Association locally and at the state level as Tree Farmer of the Year for their 1,500-acre Fun Forest tree farm.
They are up for the regional title and winning that, the national title, Moran said.
Dustin Nichol, construction trades teacher at Sweet Home High School, had been friends with Robbie since they were in grade school together. They started playing football in the seventh grade and both were members of the 1987 state championship football team. They were roommates at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls for four years. Robbie earned a bachelor’s degree in diesel power technology there.
Nichol has worked for the Melcher family off and on during the summer for the past 10 years.
“He never left you without a smile on your face,” Nichol said, adding that he’s heard that from friends and others who knew Melcher. “Always a positive attitude, he was patient and kind.
“He was as close to a brother as I could get without being related.”
They took care of each other and kept each other out of trouble for years, Nichol said.
Robbie’s most recent volunteer work was with Nichol’s High School Forestry Club.
Robbie served on the club’s board, Nichol said. He transported equipment for the club and provided supplies and funding.
He was a member of the Community Chapel and St. Helen’s Catholic Church.
With his wife, Maryann, he helped in youth ministries at Community Chapel.
He also sponsored football, basketball, baseball and volleyball teams at the Boys and Girls Club, and he helped Nichol out with materials in his construction trades class. He also put together a couple of different field trips for the Forestry Club, including a trip to see restoration and to the fuels reduction site in Deschutes County.
Jeff Lynn, a sergeant with Sweet Home Police Department who also played on that state football team, was another who grew up with Melcher.
“We kept in fairly good touch. He was just one of the happiest guys I’ve ever been around,” Lynn said. “He was very considerate and respectful, a joy to be around.
“I think that’s the biggest thing. He brought a smile to my face no matter when or where. The world’s a worse place without him.”
Melcher enjoyed hunting shooting, logging, carpentry and woodworking. He also enjoyed golfing, trucks, truck driving, detailing ad shooting the bull.
He enjoyed working on project cars, Nichol said.
Melcher had two children, a daughter, Kayla, and son, Cameron.
A Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Helen’s Catholic Church. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday in the main gym at Sweet Home High School.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Robbie Melcher Scholarship Fund through the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation.