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Alice Melby, 93

Jun 16, 2013

Battle Lake Alice (Mrs. Rev. Harold) Melby, age 93, died Sunday, June 9, 2013, at the Battle Lake Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral Services were held June 12, 2013, at the First Lutheran Church in Battle Lake. The Rev. Jake Dyrhaug officiated. Burial was in the First Lutheran Cemetery in Battle Lake. The Glende-Nilson Funeral Home of Battle Lake was in charge of the arrangements for Alice Melby.

Alice Elizabeth (Eastvold) Melby, was born on Oct. 18, 1919, in Mayville, N.D., the daughter of Olaus Arnt and Mabel (Gramstad) Eastvold. She graduated from Mayville High School, attended Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, and received her B.A. Degree from Mayville State Teachers College. Alice married Pastor Harold Waldemar Melby on Aug. 31, 1945, in Mayville Lutheran Church, Mayville.

Immediately prior to her marriage to Harold, Alice served as Secretary to Bishop Oscar C. Hanson (father of current Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Bishop Mark S. Hanson) in the Luther League office at the Norwegian Lutheran Church headquarters in Minneapolis.

During her marriage, Alice served with Pastor Melby in 23 Lutheran Church congregations, residing in the communities of Melville and Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada; Mt. Vernon, S.D.; Clarissa, Dell, Frost and Hendricks; and Verona, N.D. In addition to her service as a Pastor’s wife, Alice performed many roles in the congregations served, including those of church secretary, choir director, organist, pianist, Sunday School teacher, as well as participant and leader of various church groups.

During her teaching career, Alice taught music, English, business and business law, home economics, served as band director and directed numerous theatrical productions. She taught in the communities of Plentywood, Mont.; Bloomington, Edgerton, Clarissa, Frost, Minneota, and Hendricks.

Alice and Harold retired to their home on Girard Beach, West Battle Lake, in Sept. 1982. For 25 years they spent their winters in Apache Junction, Ariz. During her retirement, Alice enjoyed many activities, including pen and ink artwork, reading, walking, sewing, cooking, painting beautiful china plates, playing cards, and monthly soundly defeating many relatives and friends in Reader’s Digest Word Power games.

On Sunday, June 9, 2013, Alice Melby died at Battle Lake Good Samaritan Nursing Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given, and suggests the following: Lutheran World Relief, Battle Lake Good Samaritan Society, First Lutheran Building Fund, and Mount Carmel Ministries. Memorials may be offered at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home or sent c/o Marilyn Horgen, 40450 Girard Beach Road, Battle Lake, MN 56515.

Alice is survived by three daughters, Marilyn Beth (Wayne) Horgen, of Battle Lake, Naomi Joy (David) Talbott, of Edgewater, Md., and Donadee Joan (Rev. Timothy) Peterson, of Prescott, Wis.; one son, Dr. David John (Elaine) Melby, of Carterville, Ill.; fifteen grandchildren, Benjamin Melby, Christopher (Thuy), Clayton, Lindsay (Christi), and Andrew (Tyler) Horgen, Katie (DaWayne) Medley, Kristin Solomon, Kelly, Baruch, John, Princess and Benjamin Talbott, Nathan (Maria), John (Whitney), and Elise Peterson; fifteen great-grandchildren; and by numerous relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband; one son in infancy, Brent Nathan Melby; two brothers, Orlo and Alvin Eastvold; and four sisters, Mae Cella, Lillian Huesby, Helen Carlson, and Faith Shelchuk.

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