Ward Mellerup - passing

[David Champion]

I'm very sad to share the news, we got a note from Ward's family that he passed away on 10/2/2025.

Ward was a long time member, we didn't have an official date, but he joined soon after he ran into the Area515 crew at the Kansas City Maker Faire, where we were competing in the Power Wheels series, and he'd been around ever since. Always willing to share a story or just chat with members and Open House guests.

I'll let you know if I hear about any memorial services.

Thanks,

-dc

[Brad Freese]

Here is a copy of Ward’s obituary that his sister, Colleen, sent us.

I’d like to say a few words about Ward.

He’d talk your ear off if you gave him half a chance but I’d be really hard pressed to name anyone I’ve ever met who was more generous or kind.

He was one of the first people I met when I joined the makerspace. I came every Saturday afternoon, and Ward would always be sitting there at the table just inside the door, ready with a smile and a friendly comment. Ward quickly became a welcome face in a sea of strangers. My hands were often full of projects or various things when I arrived, and I remember he was always ready to come help me open that front door and let me in.

I remember too when he first learned that I wanted to carve tiny stuff on our CNC machine. He gave me a bunch of 0.024” router bits that he’d purchased somewhere. I offered to pay him but he wouldn’t hear of it. That’s kind of the way he always was. If he had some tool or gadget that you could use he’d bring it right in. All he’d ask in return was to see what you’d made.

And he wasn’t just generous with his stuff, he was equally generous with his time. In the classroom there’s a small, wooden model of the Mayan calendar by the door to the Laser Room. It took 8 hours to carve on the CNC (using Ward’s 0.024” bits come to think of it). Like the laser you’re not allowed to leave the machine while it’s running. Ward volunteered to sit and watch the CNC for almost 4 hours to give me a break.

Ward was a great guy and I’m going to miss him.