Dennis Leon Mellville, age 60, of Jordan passed away at home on June 29, 2015.
Dennis was born in Miles City, Montana on October 26, 1954 to Harry Mellville and Diana Dee Major. Dennis grew up in Miles City and learned to play music at an early age, playing with his dad and mom at country dances sitting on the edge of the stage.
Music was his life also he was a great singer. He played with his Uncle Burch and the band The Walkers. This is where he learned to be a great band player. He played at different clubs in Billings, Montana putting his talent to good use. He moved to Vegas and hit them like a storm, playing with John Wells for a while learning even more about being a good showman. He was a great lead guitar and singer and put together the Desert Wind Band. They were in Demand for opening for several stars and at casinos for their music. His band won the battle of the Bands in Vegas for two years in a row.
Dennis had a stroke in 2006 and was not able to play or sing anymore. Dennis was inducted into the South Dakota hall of Rock and Roll in 2013. He came home to the ranch. He loved his dog Bubba and his cat Lucky, which he found starving and raised her. He took pride in how the cattle looked and took good care of them. Dennis married Liz Conn and they had a daughter.
Dennis is survived by his mother, Diana Kirby, his daughter Nicol Mellville and grandson Ty Smith of California, his sister Karen Frost, nieces Jacinda Gamber, Celine Frost, and nephew Kelly Frost in Jordan; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Dennis had a lot of friends and every one he met became a friend. Dennis is preceded in death by his brother Kelly and his Dad.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the family lot of the Custer County Cemetery. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.
rhonda losinski says
Dennis jam going to miss you and your smile at the bar you made my night there, Diane jam thinking of you too.
Karmie and Keith Lockie says
Diane We are so sorry for your loss. Dennis was so much help to Keith after his stroke. We will miss his smile and good heart.
Allen and Karen Barnes says
Diane Please accept our sympathy for your loss – losing a child is such a painfull thing to bear – God be with you.
Glen and Teena Bollinger says
Diane,
Our deepset sympathy on the loss of your son. God Bless!
Glen and Teena Bollinger
Nicol Mellville says
I still can’t believe this is true. Daddy I love you more then I can ever express. I’ll miss u dearly. Rest In Paradise. May u sing with the Angels in Heaven. I love u so so much daddy.
Gerome and Rita Wemmer says
Diane and family,
We send deepest sympathies for you loss. May God watch of all of you.
Cathy Byron says
Diana –
My thoughts and prayers are with you. May the Good Lord’s grace and mercy give you strength and peace in the days ahead.
Caprice Young Gregory says
Karen and family
So sorry to hear of the loss of Dennis, I remember him as a little guy, who loved music and playing with his dad Speed. He lived a good life doing what he loved. Rest in Peace Dennis.
bobbi all says
i am devastated. Just a few days ago I spoke with u. So happy I got to live with u and love u as long as I did. 10 years. You were so talented and loved your voice. You definitely made me laugh. Its hard to believe your gone. I will never forget u as u were my first love. Rest in Peace my sweet man
Joe and Sandra Konkright and Bob Konkright says
Diana and family: Our thoughts and prayers are sent to you on this day. For the short
time that Sandra and I (Joe) knew Dennis we grew to love him. He was so helpful
at the South Dakota Induction in Sioux Falls. I knew he would have talent as he was
blessed with that by his mom and dad. I found it to be true when I pulled up his
performance in Las Vegas on You tube. He will be missed. Brother Bob sends his
condolences and prayers.
Shawna Erlenbusch says
We are truly going to miss Dennis around the Ranchers. What a great guy. Diane I am very sorry for your loss, You are in my thoughts and prayers!
Nicol Mellville says
I would like to thank everyone for their kind words threw these difficult times. I truly appreciate it and I know my Daddy is looking down with a huge smile.
With Love,
His Daugter Nicol
Danny and Patty Williams says
Diana and family, We are saddened and thinking of all of you. We are very blessed for the time we had to get to know Dennis, an amazing person.
lucille ottesen says
Im saddened for you . Larry and I were just talking about all of you.
Daisy Sterling, Donna Jean (Sterling) Dorris and J. Mike Dorris says
Diana and family, Just letting you know that we are thinking of you all and send our deepest sympathies. J. Mike was reminded of the times when he worked at the Phillips 66 gas station on Haynes Ave. and Dennis would come in the evenings to keep him company and play on Mikes flat top. Don’t know how old Dennis was but that was about 1968 or 69. We are sorry for your loss.
Bill & Dee (Proxy) Hainer says
Bill hadn’t seen Dennis for a long time until the S.D. Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and Dennis followed Bill around like a puppy dog because they had so much in common both playing lead guitars and both were vocal. Had lots to catch up on.
Such a shock for a 60 yr. old. The stroke in 2006 was bad enuf, but his death was not even thought of.
Linda Hodgson says
Diana, I was so sad to are that Denny had passed away. I enjoyed visiting with him when you were in the bank. Miss seeing you, hope you are doing ok.
Tam Hedges says
Thinking of all of you – I so enjoyed visiting with Dennis at the family reunions. He was a very special, talented, good person.
Mike Batchelder says
I worked with Dennis in Desert Wind for 6 or 7 years. He was a great guitar player and singer and a great guy. I sort of lost track of him after Desert Wind but heard that he’d moved back to Montana and was really happy there. The world lost a great talent but the band in the sky gained one. Peace Dennis.
Tracey Walker says
Diana and all of Denny’s family,
So sorry for all of you. I wish I could be with you all on Wed, but it’s not possible. Please know you are in thoughts and prayers.
Tracey
Gene andKarla Christensen says
Denny was there, when anyone needed help, always with a friendly smile and encouraging words. Gene and I feel blessed knowing Denny just the few short years in Jordan. He loved being outside at the ranch and had a special kindness for all critters, big or small.
Diana and family – may memories help sustain you in the days ahead. Our hearts and prayers are with you forever.
Heather Stiefel says
My friend, I can’t believe that you are gone. Some of my best memories and greatest adventures were with you. We ran all over this country together and always brought home a unique souvenir from wherever we had been. Raw cotton from Mississippi, white sand from New Mexico, rocks from Mt. Rushmore, 2 hangovers from Iowa City, now that is a memory! I will always carry you in my heart. Good bye my friend.
Phil and Darlene Shawver says
Condolences and Prayers for All of Denny,s Family. May you find Comfort in all the Memories and in Gods Love. If we can help in any way we are here for you.
bobbi all says
To diana, I have a son and I love him with all my heart. i loved your son Dennis so much. Both of us had similiar lives growing up. Yes regrets. Yes this is so hard but I know that he would tell u he loved me. And my heart goes out to u. I am not the bad person everyone wants to paint of me. I simply lived with him, loved him so much and no he wasn’t the kindest person ever but neither was I. We got togeather years later (not so long ago) and I wish to remember as my very first love. Please respect this and tell your people liz, nicole to stop sending hateful messages.
bobbi all says
Diana, Hope u are doing okay. Alot of people loved your son. Me included and if u go on my fb page and go to pictures there was a handsome pic of him. I loved Dennis and will miss him every day. Thank u Bobbi All
bobbi all says
when somone passes they all crowd around to say how sad they are but after a week, a month or even years u Never hear anything about the person, ie Dennis leon Mellville. I don’t care what his family may say as I was barely 18 years old and loved him more than life. He chose me. i DIDN’T CHOOSE HIM. I miss him and think about him every day, He had a huge part in the woman I am today. Some day we will ALL be at the pearly gates. All i want is for him to rest in peace as he had so much anger towards some people it destoyed his life.
bobbi all says
thinking about u and sad I will never hear your voice again, People can say as his sister did. “Get over it” I WILL NEVER GET OVER IT. Not trying to be hurtful but live with someone for many years, see them many years later still love them, very close to their death and think how u would feel. No matter what he knows.
bobbi all says
everyone wants to sugar coat his death. yes its heartbreaking. i should know I spent 8 years with him. He was his OWN MAN. TRYING NOT TO SAY ANYTHING HATEFUL AS i ALSO WANT HIM TO REST IN PEACE. ALTHOUGH HE ALSO TURNED MY LIFE UPSIDE DOWN. HIS DAUGHTER HAS NO RIGHT EVER TALKING TO ME THE WAY SHE HAS AS SHE WASN’T EVEN BORN YET. U DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DENNIS AND I. ONLY HE KNOWS. I SPENT MANY MONTHS TALKING WITH HIM BEFORE HIS DEATH AND I ONLY GREW CLOSER TO HIM. HE WAS MY FIRST AND WILL MISS HIM EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE.
bobbi all says
the pain has somewht eased although i still think of u every day. i guess that’s what u do when its your first love. when i am gone i hope we will see each other , thank u my sweet man for that last night togeather.
bobbi all says
and karen he hated u
bobbi all says
or thats at least what he told me for years he hated u and your mom cause he caught your mom in a car with another man.
bobbi all says
lets get it right. I moved from Montana with him , after 10 years he met a stripper. He cheated he moved out. Thank God. As I met my exhusband and have a wonderful son. Dennis is gone now and I have a hard time even believing his daughter is his.
bobbi all says
Sometimes u get so upset after someone passes that EVERYTHING comes to the forfront. I am so upset that Dennis saw no way out but to continue to drink and destroy himself again. He will always be a huge part of my life. I think about him every day. I have never seen anything on this page positive from the woman that saw him for a year while he still lived with me. Sad.
bobbi all says
he was a kind soul when we met many years ago in billings montana. moved me to vegas where he met many unsavory people. u know who u are
bobbi all says
isn’t it sickining that the woman that cheated with dennis doesn’t meantion a thing
bobbi all says
liz u should be ashamed
Liz says
Bobbi I do not need to turn to Facebook or a website dedicated to sending condolences to talk poorly about others when everyone else has said how dearly sorry they are and being respectful of the man who has passed and his family. Your immaturity has shown through your countless comments and remarks. No one cares about how much you loved him or him being anything to you. Especially after the horrid things you have said about him and his FAMILY and if you don’t know the definition of family that would be blood and marriage. I’m sorry you are so miserable that you have to turn to a memorial site to say these things and that you still can’t let it go. I hope you find peace. And leave all of us alone.