Melvin Lovik

Beloved husband, father and friend. Born August 31, 1919 to Lars and Jennie Amanda (Hansen) Lovik in Vancouver, British Columbia. He passed away in Bremerton, WA on April 9, 2002.At the age of 3 he moved with his family to Port Orchard, WA. where he was schooled and graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1939. While at South Kitsap Mel participated in all sports, excelling at football, playing for longtime coach Maynard Lundberg, who would remain a friend until his passing.After graduating Mel traveled north to Alaska where he worked for Sitka Cold Storage. He joined the Army in 1941 before the outbreak of WWII and was stationed in Haines. From there he traveled to Louisiana for further training and then on to India as part of the Japanese invasion force. Thank God it never came to that. While in the army he attained the rank of sergeant. The war ended and Mel returned to family and friends in Port Orchard. Once back Mel teamed up with life long friend and future brother-in-law Ted Thompson to work and eventually own a small grocery store to become known as Ted and Mels Market in Gorst. This is where he would meet the love of his life Ruth Meyers, they were married on April 30, 1950. A short time later in June of 1950 Mel and Ted would take on a third partner, Bill Tennesen and form T.B. & M. Supermarkets, Inc. T.B. & M. standing for Ted, Bill and Mel, or as Mel would tell it, Two Boys and a Man. During their time together they grew to be 6 Thriftway Stores and one hardware store in Port Orchard known as Marshall Wells. It was during this time that Little League Baseball came to Mel about fundraising. Mel stated we have pancake flour, syrup, juice, and sausage, let's try a pancake feed, and it was born. For many years T.B. & M. stores sponsored these feeds to support Little League Baseball. In 1964 the partnership was dissolved and Mel and his wife would take over the hardware store, becoming Coast to Coast Hardware shortly thereafter. Several years later he would enter into another partnership with Harry Turner, forming Mel and Harry's Coast to Coast in Port Orchard and East Bremerton. From there his love for baseball continued as sponsor of South Kitsap Western Little League team and Babe Ruth team, with the Babe Ruth team winning a couple of championships.Also about ths time, Mel realized another passion - Santa Claus. For over 30 years he could be found in December across the Kitsap or Olympic Peninsula playing Santa on a fire truck coming into Bremerton, or an old folks home, the handicapped, schools, churches all the way to Neah Bay Headstart and back, never refusing anyone or requests for years.Another calling he received about this time was from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as bishop of the Port Orchard Ward. During this time he oversaw the fundraising and building of their new chapel in Port Orchard, for this calling he felt truly blessed.All of this time he and his family planted their .5 acre garden every spring for many years, raised his own beef, some chickens and even a couple of pigs. At heart maybe Mel was really a farmer.He spent many summers with his family camping out and fishing for salmon at LaPush, Neah Bay, WestPort and all up and down the coast of Washington. He traveled to fresh water lakes and streams all over Washington and British Columbia and up to Alaska and down the Alaskan Highway. He loved to take his family to so many beautiful and wonderful places, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles from all over this state, Idaho, Oregon and as far away as Norway, where he was fortunate enough to visit the old ocuntry on more than one occasion. Oh how he loved his Norwegian relatives. All were loved by the same open mind and big heart. Oh how we will all miss him, how he truly loved life and looked for the good in all mankind even the worst, never speaking ill of anyone. We who knew him, shared life with him, and called him our own are so grateful to have had him for as long as we did.After retiring from the hardware business in 1984, he could not stop semi-retiring to Washburns General Store in Neah Bay where he worked with his wife and sons. Mel could be found in his beloved produce or anywhere in the store helping old and new friends and customers alike. Never really retiring until his passage.Mel was preceded in death by 1 son, Barry Dean and 2 sisters, Thelma and Signe. He is survived by his loving wife, Ruth, sons Greg, Steve, Brent, Brian, 14 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, sister Gertrude and numerous nieces, nephews, and his beloved family in Norway.Visitation will be at Pendleton Gilchrist Funeral Home, Friday April 12, from noon to 5:00 p.m. Services will be held Saturday, April 13, at 1:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center, 3877 Mullenix Rd., S.E., Port Orchard, WA. Committal service will be at Sunset Lane Cemetery, Port Orchard, WA.