Former Conway Youth Soccer Association coach Jason Mehlum is being remembered as a devoted husband, father, mentor and friend whose generosity touched countless lives.
Mehlum, 44, of Conway, worked as an operations supervisor at Marathon Petroleum’s Anacortes refinery and had spent more than 15 years with the company before his death last week.
A cause of death was not immediately clear. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, and their four children.
In a Facebook tribute, the Conway Youth Soccer Association described Mehlum as “a valued member of our soccer community” whose impact on players and families “will not be forgotten,” the organization said.
“Our hearts go out to Jason’s family, friends, former players, and everyone whose life he touched,” the association wrote.
According to family friend Nicole Purdue, Mehlum had a gift for making people feel welcome, pairing a quick sense of humor with genuine kindness that left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
“To know Jason was to know someone who gave of himself freely,” Purdue wrote.
Friends said helping others wasn’t something Mehlum occasionally did—it was simply part of who he was.
Whether tackling home projects, lending a hand to neighbors or showing up when someone needed support, he quietly gave his time and energy without expecting recognition, according to the fundraiser.
His greatest pride, however, was his family.
The fundraiser describes Mehlum as a devoted husband and an extraordinarily involved father who rarely missed practices, games or the everyday moments that mattered most.
Soccer was another way he invested in others.
As a longtime youth coach, Mehlum believed sports built far more than athletic ability. They taught resilience, confidence, teamwork and lifelong friendships, according to the fundraiser.
Just days before his death, the Mehlum family spent a week together in Lake Chelan, making memories to celebrate the start of summer.
“While no one could have known how precious those moments would soon become, there is comfort in knowing they shared that joyful time together as a family,” the fundraiser states.
Tributes have continued to pour in across social media as friends reflected on Mehlum’s life and the relationships he built over the years.
“Jason Mehlum was more than an old college friend—he was one of those people you were always happy to see, no matter how much time had passed,” Casey Willis of Woodinville wrote on Facebook.
“Life is busy with work, kids, etc., but please make time for the Jason in your life. I wish I did more because you never know when you will lose that opportunity,” Willis wrote.
The GoFundMe organizer said donations will help Sarah Mehlum continue caring for the couple’s four children, covering future educational expenses, sports and extracurricular activities, and other needs as the family adjusts to life without Jason.
Those wishing to support the Mehlum family can contribute through GoFundMe or GiveInKind.
