Joe and his wife Mary Linda Melnyk have been married for forty seven years and have two sons; Scott Melnyk, Mike Melnyk and daughter-in-law Kendra; and one granddaughter, Madison Melnyk.

Joe was originally from La Porte, Indiana, the son of the late Joseph and Mary Melnyk. Joe was a graduate of Purdue University where he was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity and an avid Boilermakers fan. He received his Masters degree from the University of Minnesota.

Joe was a longtime member of Brentwood United Methodist Church. Bishop Joe Pennel and Dr. Davis Chappell will conduct a memorial service at Noon on Thursday, April 24th at the church. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until time of the service. There will also be a reception at the church immediately following the service. Honorary pallbearers are The Joyful Noise Sunday School Class. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Joyful Noise Foundation at Brentwood United Methodist Church, 309 Franklin Rd., Brentwood, TN 37027. Sign online guestbook at AustinFuneralService.com

Provided by Mike Zoccola 

Joe began his 38-year career in 1965 as an engineering geologist in Federal service working for the Nashville District Corps of Engineers.  His responsibilities included working on some of the largest Civil Works navigation, flood control and hydropower projects the Nashville District has ever undertaken.  These included such projects as the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway and Martins Fork Dam. In 1991 Joe transitioned his experience and skills into environmental cleanup work for the Nashville District performing geologic and groundwater studies in support of hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste remediation.  This involved work at active and abandoned military sites including Ft. Campbell Kentucky, and West Virginia Ordnance Works.  He also provided support to the Department of Energy for site remediation at Oak Ridge, Portsmouth, and the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and the Environmental Protection Agency at several Superfund Sites in Ohio.  Joe remained in this work until his retirement in April 2003.  Joe was a Registered Professional Geologist in the State of Tennessee.
Throughout his career, Joe was a conscientious, exemplary civil servant who embodied selfless service and dedicated his professional life to the betterment of his country. He became one of the most trusted, respected, and well-liked senior geologists in the Corps of Engineers and was recognized as such on several occasions as recipient of several prestigious awards.  These included being named "Federal Employee of the Year" in the Professional/Scientific Category in 1995 and receiving the Department of the Army's "Commander's Award for Civilian Service" from two separate Corps of Engineers Districts in 2003. As outstanding as his career was, what truly set Joe apart was him as a person.  He was always more than a co-worker.  He was a friend, mentor, and role model to all who knew and worked with him.  Never did he have an unkind word to say about anyone nor was an unkind word ever spoken about him.