Melvin Grant Drage

“I was born on September 12,1936 in Salt Lake City in the LDS Hospital. My parents are Arthur Grant Drage and Ella Mulcock Drage. I grew up in the Sugarhouse area on Ramona Ave. I went to school at Garfield Elementary, Irving Junior High and graduated from East High. I attended night school at the University of Utah, taking classes in Accounting and Computer Programming.

While visiting my cousin in Paul’s ice cream store, where she worked, I met a girl named Patty Jean Argyle who also worked there. She was still attending Olympus High School. After dating for a while, we were engaged to be married. After Patty graduated from Olympus High School, we were married on September 1,1955 in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

As a young boy, I worked mowing grass, shoveling snow, at a Butcher Shop, Grocery Store, and a Printing Store. Before getting married, I got a job at Utah Power & Light Company. I had many jobs there including Mail Sorter, Central Billing, Lines & Service, and Accounting. While in the Accounting Department, a new department was formed titled Data Processing. To obtain a job in that department it was necessary to pass an aptitude test. I passed the test and obtained the job of Computer Operator. While in that department I worked my way up to Manager. I was one of the founding members of the Data Processing Manager’s Association of Utah. I was President of DPMA for a while.

At the advice of my Uncle Albion Mulcock, Colonel in the United States Army Reserve 96th Infantry Division, I joined the same Army organization. I attended summer camps each year at different Army bases. I was in the Army Reserve for 16 years, until they required us to sign a form that stated that even though I was eligible for discharge I would wave my discharge for the period of 1 year. I was going to school, just had a new job and needed to support a wife and 4 kids. I did not sign the form and left the Army Reserve.

I have served in many church callings, primarily clerk callings. I was in a clerk’s position for 6 different Bishops. My last calling was Elders Quorum Secretary. I was a leader in the Scout Troop for 16 years while my sons were in the Troop and beyond.”

Melvin passed away peacefully at home on July 23, 2025.

Melvin is preceded in death by his loving wife, Patty Jean Argyle Drage, by his parents, Arthur Grant Drage and Ella Maud Mulcock Drage, his sister Annie Drage Call, his granddaughter, Aubrey Ann Bradshaw, and his great granddaughter, Grace Ann Bradshaw.

Melvin is survived by his 6 children, Cary Grant Drage (Mischele), Sherril Ann Drage Bradshaw (Mark), Kathy Lynn Drage Whitehead (Jim), Douglas Ben Drage (Mark Eastman), Alan Scott Drage, and Debera Fay Drage (Rocio Neyra) and his 29 grandchildren and 82 great-grandchildren, as well as his sister Bonnie Drage Cooley.

His funeral will be held on August 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM at at the LDS chapel located at 1250 E 4850 S, Salt Lake City, Utah. A viewing will be held there on the same day prior to the funeral service, from 9:30 to 10:30AM