Leon Herman Melvin was born on a sunny Thursday November 15, 1917. He was the seventh child of Mae Susan Sykes of White Oak Township (now known as Yorick) and Leon Dexter Melvin of Turnbull Township, both in Bladen County North Carolina. Herman was born and lived his entire life on a farm that was part of the Melvin lands of his ancestors. Most of my knowledge of Herman's early childhood years comes from our Mother, Dad and his older brothers and sisters.

     When Herman was born, our Mother's cousin, Mr. Frank Tatum was the County Registrar. He visited the home, as was the custom of that era, to record the date of birth and name of the newborn boy. When he asked for the name, our parents said "We have decided on Leon Herman". Mr. Tatum replied, "Mae, since this is your fifth boy don't you think you should name him John Wesley for your father?" She said "We have already picked the name." Nothing more was said. Many years later when Herman applied for Social Security benefits, our parents went with him to Raleigh. Much to everyone's surprise, no record was found of his birth. However, there was recorded the same day to the same parents a baby boy named John Wesley Melvin. After a return trip home to pick up the family Bible, Herman was considered to be legally recorded in the Bible and for the first time was officially recorded in the name given to him at birth.

     The family, especially Mummie always said that Herman was the brightest of all her children. At seven months he was pushing a chair all over the wooden floors of the house. At this age he contracted polio and did not walk again until he was 4 years old. With the skilled care of our family doctor and the love and care of his Mother and the family, he survived when many other children did not. Herman had a little impairment in walking but most people were never aware of it.

     When he began to talk it was discovered that Herman had a speech impediment and was later confirmed to be a stutterer. His difficulty with pronouncing the letter "M" resulted in his own name for mother and it became endearing to her. Instead of Mama, he always called her "M". His speech handicap probably caused more pain to him than any other factor in his life. In this era was little understanding and less tolerance in the school system to accommodate a child with this impairment. Due to the lack of teaching skills and understanding, Herman never had the opportunity to attend high school, where he would have been exposed to a different teacher for each class. This was a heartache he suffered in silence all of his life. I remember once he told me of being called feeble-minded as he sobbed, saying "They just don't understand. They just don't understand".

     I had the privilege of being in our two room school when 4th through 7th grades were taught in one room. It always amazed me, and sometimes annoyed the teacher that when a question was asked his hand was always raised first. Because of his limited advantage of an education, no one understood the longing in him to maybe study law or be a writer. What we all missed! He had the ability for both.

     Herman lived at home and was the reason our Mother was able to live in the home place for the 23 years after our Dad's death in 1948. Until the later years I don't think any of his brothers and sisters appreciated or recognized the responsibility he quietly assumed for all of us. He spent four lonely years at home after his "M" died in 1971.

     During the years between the 40s and 70s, Herman's place of renewal was here in this church with the love, fellowship, and the sharing of God's love with the people of this community. Every Sunday he left home walking the three miles to church; occasionally catching a ride. He did not drive. Gladys and Glen Hall became a surrogate family to him on Sundays.

     As is characteristic with those who stutter, he sang beautifully and flawlessly. Joy was in every musical note as he expressed his love of God.

     Herman's strength has been reading and living the word of God. Never questioning or complaining he has endured much pain in many ways, but outwardly we always saw a ready smile, a genuine concern for others and a readiness to openly share his faith mostly by the example of who he was.

     When Herman became paralyzed the first time in 1974 it was six years before Medical Science discovered that previous polio victims would have recurring symptoms called post polio syndrome. I credit the care and skills of the Neurology dept. at Duke and the devotion of the physical therapist at the nursing home in Fayetteville for his recovering the ability to feed himself, to sit in a wheel chair and roll it alone, and with help to walk with a walker. This has been his life for 26 years until the last four years when he has been completely paralyzed requiring complete care.

     Herman's greatest gift was one of a phenomenal memory, genuine interest in other people, concern, and caring about their problems and needs. He was always our ready source of knowledge. He supplied the answers when we came up blank! His remembering of names and persons always amazed everyone.

     On Friday morning when he was admitted to the Emergency Room with double pneumonia and congestive heart failure, the nurse on duty was one who had worked with him at a nursing homne 15 years ago. She called me in Richmond to alert me to his critical condition. She wanted to share with me that when she approached him he looked up and smiled and said "Hello Rosemary", then proceeded to ask her about each of her children by name. She had not seen him for 15 years. Four hours later he quietly slipped into a coma.

     Many knew him; few understood him, but everyone loved him. He leaves his small part of the world a better place for having been here and touched so many lives in his journey. We shall all miss him. I just know that when he walked in Heaven strong, straight, and full of joy no substitutes were sent to greet him. The first face he saw was God's with open arms saying "Welcome home my son".

(This tribute from his sister was read at Herman's funeral by his nephew F. Allen Miller III. --Site Ed.)