William Mellor Obituary

MOAB, UTAH - William "Chip" Mellor, born December 31, 1950, in Knoxville, Tenn., passed away peacefully on October 11, 2024, at home in Moab, Utah, surrounded by his family.

Chip moved to Piqua in 1962 when his father became an executive with the Orr Felt Co. He attended High Street Elementary, Wilder Junior High and Piqua Central High, graduating in 1969.

Chip and his wife, Alison Ling, recently celebrated their 41st anniversary. Chip met Alison while the two young attorneys worked together at Mountain States Legal Foundation in Denver. They shared a love for all things Western, the outdoors, and a youthful desire to change the world.

They moved to Washington, D.C., where Chip worked as Deputy General Counsel in the Department of Energy in the Reagan Administration. They then moved to San Francisco for Chip to head the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy. While there, he developed the blueprint for the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit public policy litigating organization that would fight for individual liberty. In 1991, Chip co-founded the Institute for Justice (www.IJ.org) in Washington.

They raised two children, Mitchell Mellor and Sarah Mellor, in Northern Virginia and established the family tradition of vacationing in Moab every summer. Mitch is now married to Tajari Mellor and living in Chicago. Sarah lives in Boulder, Colorado. The family has shared many great adventures that always includes good food and action movies.

After building IJ into an organization that has litigated 10 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Chip retired to Moab. He and Alison built their dream home and spent the next 10 years exploring the beauty and serenity of the canyon country. Chip hiked hundreds of miles, took up rappelling and canyoneering, backpacked into the Grand Canyon and managed to only get his camper stuck a few times.

Chip was a resilient, inspired and visionary leader who took delight in spotting and growing the next generation of leaders. Chip personified a presumption of goodwill, courage, determination and a clear vision in his work. As a dedicated friend, he helped those around him when they needed direction, encouragement or a kind word. Although he attained a national profile, Chip maintained a humble nature and shied from publicity.

Chip earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University and his J.D. from the University of Denver School of Law. He edited and co-authored numerous books, including, "The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom."

In addition to his wife and children, Chip is survived by his brother, David R. Mellor. He is preceded in death by his father, William H. Mellor Jr., his mother, Marjorie Mellor, and his brother Leon "Terry" Mellor.

Friends are encouraged to share their tributes online at www.SpanishValleyMortuary.com or www.SVMC.US. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in early November in Moab, with an additional service hosted by the Institute for Justice in Washington D.C. at a later date.