Obituary of Melvin Dinner

Melvin Dinner, 90, passed away quietly at home surrounded by his family on January 25, 2018, after a short illness. The son of Louis and Ida Dinner, both of whom came to America on different sailings of the Lusitania at the turn of the 20th Century, Melvin was born in Greeley on June 11, 1927, the youngest of three brothers and two sisters. He attended Greeley High School, from where he graduated in 1944 at age 16. He entered the University of Colorado war-accelerated program and enlisted in the Navy a year later, where he served out WWII. Upon returning from service he re-entered the University of Colorado and remained there until he received his juris doctorate. Admitted to the bar in 1951, he moved back to Greeley and began practicing law with David J. Miller, before setting up his own practice. He moved to Denver in 1957, upon marrying his beloved Diane Miller. Although he made Denver his home, he continued practicing law in Greeley, serving the community he so loved until his retirement in 2014. During his more than 60 years practicing law, Mel earned the admiration of his peers and the gratitude of his clients as an expert in water law, real estate, and oil and gas transactions. Melvin treasured family above all else. He also loved his extensive world-wide travels with Diane, the Broncos, whose games he attended since the early 1960s, fishing and skiing, and exploring new horizons with his children and grandsons. He lived life to the fullest and greeted every day with good humour and a smile. He and Diane made every day brighter for all who knew them. Melvin was predeceased by Diane, z’l, in 2013, as well as by siblings Rae Barnett Weiland, Ethel Segal, and Sidney Dinner, z’l. He is survived by his brother Albert J. ‘Buni’ (Janice) Dinner, his son Michael (Ann) Dinner and their sons Nicholas and Matthew of Los Angeles, his son Gregory (Annie) Dinner and their sons Samuel and Jacob, of London, UK, his daughter Wendy (Phil Krinsky) of Denver, his daughter Kristi, also of Denver, sister-in-law Linda (Irwin, z’l) Kornfeld, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Myron “Micky” and Louann Miller. His funeral will be held at Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Denver on Sunday January 28th at 1:00 pm, with internment at Emanuel Cemetery (within Fairmount Cemetery). Donations in memory of Mel may be made to the Dinner Scholarship For Excellence at the University of Northern Colorado (make check payable to the UNC Foundation and write "Dinner Scholarship for Excellence" on the Memo Line), University of Colorado, 1620 Reservoir Road, Greeley, CO 80639, or to the Denver Hospice.