Lawrence Mellor

Dr. Lawrence Hale Mellor , longtime local dentist, passed away Sunday, July 18 , 2021 at his home in Globe, Arizona.

He was born on March 8 , 1942 in Pocatello, Idaho, to Gwen Hale and Francis Lawrence Mellor.

After graduating from high school he attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he met the love of his life, Sandra Millet. Lawrence paused his education to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in Brazil from 1962 to 1965.  Upon his return, he and Sandra were married in the Los Angeles Temple on July 16th, 1965 .

Sandra and Lawrence finished their educations at BYU in 1964 and 1966. They then returned to Sandra’s home state of California where Sandra taught grade school while Lawrence attended the University of California at San Francisco Dental School, where he graduated in 1970.  During his last year of dental school, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard’s Public Health Service.

His first assignment was to provide dental services for Indian Health Services in Browning, Montana.  While there, he fulfilled his lifetime dream of owning and flying his own airplane.  His next assignment was with Public Health on the San Carlos Indian Reservation in Arizona. In December of 1973, he joined Dr. Van Smith as a partner at his office on South Broad Street in Globe, Arizona.  He bought and maintained that practice until his retirement at the end of 2005.

Larry was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.  He served in numerous callings which include Primary Teacher, High Council member, Ward Bishopric, Branch President and various offices with the Young Men and Boy Scouts of America.  He served as President of the local Rotary Club in the 1990s which brought several foreign-exchange students to their home that became like their own daughters.  He selflessly sacrificed his great passion of flying when he sold his beloved plane to help cover higher education costs for his children.  He stayed active by hiking, cycling and his infamous 3am jogs along the highway until his body could no longer do it.

He leaves behind his beloved wife, Sandra Mellor; four sons: Derek (Julie) of Snowflake, AZ;  Curtis of Mesa, AZ; Matthew (Kezhia) of Hollister, CA; Jordan of Salt Lake City, UT; three daughters:  Marisa Schwartz (Jon) of Salt Lake City, UT;  Jeannette Voelker (Daniel) of Globe, AZ;  Kristin Tannery (Kindle) of Mesa, AZ ; two brothers Evan Mellor (Doris) of  Bear Lake, UT; Richard (Cathy) of Riverton, UT; and sister Mary Carter (Steve) of Lehi, UT; twenty-four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Francis Lawrence and Gwen Mellor.

A Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2021, from 9:00 – 10:00 A.M. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Relief Society Room - 1701 Ensign Dr, Globe, Arizona.

Funeral Services will follow at 10:00 A.M. at LDS Church in Globe, Arizona.

Interment will be held on Monday, July 26, 2021 at the National Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona.