MELVIN DOUGLAS DETHLEFS, Known as Mel to friends and neighbors, our admired community member passed away in his home February 25, 2026, at the age of 89.
Memorial Services will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM at the VFW Post 3271, 104 S. 1st Street in Clayton.
Graveside services will be held on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Angel Fire Veterans Cemetery in Angel Fire, New Mexico. Arrangements are under the direction of Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton, New Mexico.
Melvin Douglas Dethlefs was the oldest of three children born to Clyde and Rose (Gonzales) Dethlefs. He was born on November 28th, 1936, in Niagara Falls, New York. Mel’s mother, who was from Spain, was a nurse and his father, from Dutch descent worked for Kodak. He was raised there and after graduating high school, joined the Navy and served as a quarter master and navigator. He went on to join the Merchant Marines. He went on to earn an accredited Masters of Education in Mexico City, where he taught school for several years. Mel traveled in Europe, to Russia, and Latin American. He married and had one daughter. His wife shared his love for travel, so during their ten-year marriage, he was able to share many experiences with her throughout Europe. He was fluent in Spanish and filled his home with mementos from his travels. Mel settled in New Mexico, where he taught at Rio Grande High and Highland High Schools in Albuquerque. After leaving education, Mel worked 25 years with the UNM Hospital in maintenance, and served as the head of the local Carpenter’s Union. Upon retirement, he moved to Clayton in the early 2000s. As a proud Veteran, Mel became a lifetime member of the local VFW Post 3271. He was an active participant, and served as the Commander and Vice Commander. He served the community as a member of the Albert W. Thompson Library Advisory Board from 2021 until his death. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, sister Rebecca, brother Michael, and by his wife, Carol. Besides these, Mel leaves behind many precious friends who will dearly miss him. We all knew him in so many ways, each with our own special memories of him.
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