Ralph E. Meléndez

Ralph Espinoza Meléndez died Oct. 14 following complications from heart surgery. He was 68.

Meléndez was born Dec.11, 1947, in Douglas, Arizona, a town on the border with Mexico. He graduated from Salpointe High School in Tucson, Arizona, and served four years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Following the Navy, he attended the University of Arizona, graduating with a bachelor’s in mathematics in 1973.

Meléndez and his family relocated to southern California for his job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Eventually, they moved to Livermore where he was employed at Lawrence Livermore National computer science at the University of Southern California. He was also a mathematics instructor at Las Positas College and a private math tutor for more than thirty years, retiring two years ago.

Over the years, he spent many hours volunteering at Hacienda Care Center and other local organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie of Livermore, and daughters, Maria Kelson (husband John Gallagher) of Pueblo, Colorado, and Laura Chinnavaso (husband Michael) of Alameda, California; grandchildren, Quetzal, Caliope, Kiara, Elisa and Marina; siblings, Raul Meléndez of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Lydia Esqueda of Douglas, Arizona. He was predeceased by brothers Tony Meléndez, Roberto Meléndez, Oscar Meléndez and sister Elena Slate.

A memorial service was held in October and interment of ashes followed at St. Michael’s Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.