Milvern L. Cude

Decatur ~ Milvern Leslie "Mel" Cude died on July 22, 2020 in the home he largely built with his own hands.

Funeral Service is 11:00 a.m. Monday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur with burial in Oaklawn Cemetery. Family will receive friends 1 hour prior to service at funeral home. Military Honors will be provided by The Wise County Veterans Group.

Mel was the second of two children of Willis "Will" Cude and Guscieta Leslie, and was born on May 10, 1923 in Humble, Texas. His older brother was Dr. Willis A. Cude, PhD of San Marcos, Texas. His father died in October 1923 in an oil field accident. Guscieta attended college in San Marcos at the then Texas State Teacher's College, but finished her degree in the first year of Texas Tech's existence in Lubbock. Mel spent his childhood first in Lubbock, then moved with his mother and brother to Avery, Texas in 1934 when his mother married Truman Medford. He graduated from high school there in 1940 and attended the University of Texas in Austin for two years before joining the Navy Reserve in 1943. He trained and served in the Naval Air Corps as a pilot for four years on active duty, and about four more years on reserve duty.

During this time, he moved to Decatur, and began working with his mother and stepfather in their florist and nursery business. Shortly thereafter, he married Margaret Ann Gettys on May 28, 1949. They celebrated their 70t h anniversary in 2019. He continued in this business until he retired in 1985, when he opened up Mel's Bike Shop to pursue his lifelong enjoyment of bicycling.

Mel enjoyed vintage airplanes and automobiles, flying airplanes, bicycles and bicycling, listening to Jackie Evancho and Charlotte Church, and making mocha cappuccinos on his fancy espresso/cappuccino machines.

He was Papa to his two grandchildren and his three great­ grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, step­ father, brother, and beloved wife.

Those left behind to enjoy his memory are his oldest son, Murray Paul Cude, and his youngest son, Melton David Cude and wife Arlena, all of Decatur; his grandchildren, Amy Casares and husband Noe of Decatur, and David Cude and wife Kristen of Denton; his great-grandchildren, Evangelyhnn and Nehemiah Casares of Decatur, and Jireh Grace Cude of Denton; his sister-in-law Mary Catherine Cude of San Marcos; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and his friends. At the request of the family, please consider making a donation to the First Baptist Church of Decatur Children's Ministry Building Fund.

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