Melvin R. Carver, 78, of Du Quoin, passed away at 10:15 P.M., Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
Mel was owner and operator of Mel's Electric Motor Repair for ten years.  He was a member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness in Du Quoin.  He was a U.S. Army veteran of W.W. II.
He was born February 17, 1927 at Hayesville, North Carolina, the son of James Marion and Retta March (Davis) Carver.
He married Carolyn A. Austill on February 7, 1970 at Advance, Missouri and she survives.
He is survived by his wife of Du Quoin, eight children - William James Carver and wife Katie of McClure, IL, Catherine Johanna Carver of California, Cynthia Ross Orcutt and husband Kirk of Port Orchard, WA, Debra Melita Baltzell and husband Billy of Battlefield, MO, Mark Steven Carver and wife Lisa of Cape Girardeau, MO, Cynthia Ann Blaise and husband Harold Pepper of Du Quoin, James Terrial Carver and wife Laurie of Du Quoin, and Crystal Gayle Harsy and husband Brice of Du Quoin, one brother - Paul Carver of Walnut Grove, MO, two sisters - Joyce Stevens of Temecula, CA, and Doris Dewey of Grand Junction, CO, twenty grandchildren - James Evan, Mike and wife Aimee, Jeff and wife Lorianne, Sharon and husband Chris, Jennifer and husband Timothy, Brian, Justin, Adam, Jordan, Clayton, Christina and husband Johnnie, Mehgann, Justin and wife Tobi, Jack, Jon, Riley, McKinley, Addison, Ian, and Benjamin and twelve great grandchildren - Andrew, Austin, Alan, Noah, Joshua, Megan, Callen, Chase, Lacy, Brianna, Maci, and Jacie.
He was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings - Troy Carver, Stella Bills, Ann Pierce, Bill Carver, Clifton Carver, Lois Kinderknacht, Lillian Barraclough, and James Carver.
Funeral services will be at 4:00 P.M., Saturday, April 23, 2005 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness in Du Quoin.
Memorial services will be at 3:00 P.M., Sunday, April 24, 2005 at the Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin with Brice Harsy delivering the eulogy.
Friends may call from 1 to 3 P.M., Sunday at the Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin.
Friends may make memorials to the donor's choice and will be accepted at the funeral home.
