Britton: The memorial service for Melvin Alberts will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, at St. John's Lutheran Church of Britton. Rev. Lloyd Redhage will officiate. The Price Funeral Chapel of Britton has been entrusted with Melvin's arrangements. Private family inurnment of his cremains will take place at a later date in the Britton Cemetery.
Melvin went to his heavenly home on Sept. 4, 2013, in the Marshall County Healthcare Center of Britton, surrounded by his family. He was 95 years of age.
Melvin Arnold Alberts was born on a farm near Amherst on March 5, 1918. He graduated from Amherst High School in 1936, where he was active in sports and band.
Melvin was drafted into the Army in 1942. He successfully completed the training for Airplane Mechanics at the Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, Okla., in 1943 and began his military duties maintaining and delivering bombers to the allies overseas. He served out his tour of duty in Cairo, Egypt and received an honorable discharge in 1946. His love of farming then brought him back to the farm in Amherst.
He met his wife, Doris Wenck, while she was teaching at Weston Consolidated School in Amherst. They were married on Oct. 4, 1947, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Andover, S.D. They made their home on the farm west of Amherst. They were blessed with three children, Leland, Marla and Leonard, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Melvin was baptized in the Zion Reform Church in Amherst where he was an active member of the congregation and served as a Sunday school teacher. Later he became a member of St. John's Lutheran Church where he was a Bible study teacher, trustee and elder. He was a delegate for St. John's at the national convention in New Orleans. Many years of service were dedicated to serving on the Weston Township Board. Melvin also belonged to Harold Feser Post 3262 of the American Legion of Claremont. He was known and respected for his ability to repair and rebuild useful farming equipment. He enjoyed raising cattle and hogs and was actively involved in farming until well into his nineties.
Melvin is survived by his wife of 65 years, Doris Alberts of Britton; a son, Leland Alberts of Maple Grove, Minn. and his children: Ryan (Melissa) and Richard; a daughter, Marla (Richard) Muscio of Cody, Wyo. and their children: Justin and Jennifer Knopp (Tim); great-grandchildren: Madigan and Cashtin; a son, Leonard (Sheri) Alberts of Britton and their children: Brandon (Kellie), Michael and Nicholas; a brother, Ellis Alberts of Britton; a sister-in-law, Violet Alberts of Dell Rapids; and many nieces, nephews and their families.
Preceding him in death were his parents, H. F. and Johanne Alberts; three sisters: Clara Eberle, Martha Wieker, Helen Bush; six brothers: Henry, Herman, Arthur, Lee, Joe and Robert Alberts; and an infant sister.
An online obituary and guestbook is available at pricefuneralchapel.net