Melvin D. Pottillo

On March 14, 1944, MELVIN DONAX POTTILLO JR. was born to Melvin Donax Sr. and Ruth Pottillo at the Altus, Oklahoma Air Force Base. He was the eldest of five children - Melvin, Willie, Patricia Anne, Linda Carol (deceased) and David. He was baptized at the Herberts Chapel A.M.E. Church in Fairfield, Maryland under the pastorate of Rev. Samuel Wilson. He later converted to the Seventh-Day Adventist faith. In his early years, he loved being a boy scout and was very studious. He was an honor student at Polytechnic High School. He graduated in 1965 and continued his studies at the University of Maryland. He graduated in 1969 with an electrical engineering degree. He later returned to work on his master's degree. His love of engineering combined with his love of travel carried him many places, both far and near. He worked in Saudi Arabia as an engineering instructor and in Istanbul, Turkey as a consulting transportation engineer for the building of the second bridge over the Bosphorus. He was a man of many talents. His work ranged from consulting engineer for the D.C. Metro, designing engineer for the new addition to Prince George's Hospital, consultant for Mueller and Associates in Baltimore, and ultimately senior-level electrical engineer for facilities management at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He served briefly in the United States Army and was honorably discharged because of a painful and serious knee problem. He liked to sing, and he played several instruments; piano, however, was his "great love." He and his beloved wife, Donna, shared CDs, tapes and sheet music with his mom, Ruth, who has a great passion for music also. Melvin was united in marriage to Donna Leigh Turbyfill on February 12, 1985. There were no children of this union; however, he fathered a handsome son, Virgil, through an earlier marriage. There was such a warm and loving relationship between Melvin and Virgil, whom he adored. Many cherished memories will be shared by: his devoted wife, Donna; son, Virgil; mother, Ruth; brothers, Willie and David; sister, Patricia Wilkins; three nieces, four nephews, ten great-nieces and great-nephews, many other relatives and precious friends and his church family.

Tributes

Melvin D. Pottillo

March 14, 1944 - August 22, 2005