Rodney Edwin Melland, 84, a life-long resident of Edmore, North Dakota, passed away peacefully, July 28, 2022, following a short illness, in First Care Health Center, Park River, North Dakota. Rodney was born May 20, 1938 in Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake, North Dakota, the eldest child of Edwin B. and Anna Grace Stevens Melland. He grew up on a farm ¼ mile East of Edmore. He received his education at Edmore Public School, graduating in 1956. Following high school, he started farming with his father until his father’s passing in 1963, at which time, Rodney, and his younger brother Dennis, formed the Melland Brothers Farming Partnership. They continued farming until they both retired in 2007. He married Gail Patricia Haugen at Nekoma, North Dakota on June 7, 1958. Together they had two children, Natalie and Mark. Rodney and Gail retired in Edmore, preferring the rural lifestyle of North Dakota. Rodney was active in the community and served as rural fire chief for many years. He was an Edmore ambulance attendant for 25 years. He served on the Farmer’s Shipping and Supply Elevator Board for eight years, and served a term as its President. He also served as President, as well as other officer positions, of the Edmore Curling Club. The highlight of his life was being a member of the Edmore Curling Club team that won the United States National Curling Championship in Duluth, Minnesota in 1971. The team advanced to the World Curling Championship in Megeve, France, where they obtained the Bronze Medal. They then visited England and were guests of the Scottish curlers at Edinburgh, Scotland. Rodney and his brother, Dennis, returned to Geneva, Switzerland in 1972 and curled in the Swiss Crystal Cup. Rodney enjoyed playing guitar, country western music, listening hours a day, riding motorcycle, restoring antique automobiles, restoring Indian and Harley Davidson motorcycles. He enjoyed visiting with friends and truly loved his family. He enjoyed a trip with his entire family to Telemark, Norway in 2002. He was a kind, gentle person and gave much of his time volunteering at the Edmore Historical Society and the Edmore Baseball Park, during its construction period. Rodney was preceded in death by his father, Edwin B. Melland, on September, 20, 1963, his mother, Anna Grace Stevens Melland, on September 7, 2017, and his sister, Frances Ann Melland Anderson on April 7, 2022. Also preceding him in death were his grandparents, Oscar and Christina Hoium Melland, Andrew and Gunhild “Nellie” Kittilson Stevens, and a niece, Tamra Studsrud Mahone. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Gail Haugen Melland, Edmore, North Dakota, daughter, Natalie Melland, Fargo, North Dakota, son, Mark Melland, Edmore, North Dakota, grandchildren, Destiny Melland, Fargo, North Dakota, Issac Melland, Fargo, North Dakota, brother, Dennis (Jacquelyn) Melland, Park River, North Dakota, brother-in-law, John Anderson, Lakeville, Minnesota, two nieces, three nephews, and several cousins. Funeral services will be held at Concordia Lutheran Church, Edmore, North Dakota on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be held at Tollefson Funeral Home, Park River, North Dakota, on Monday, August 1, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Interment will be at the Edmore Community Cemetery. Live streaming will be available via the Tollefson Funeral Home, Inc Facebook page.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
ObituariesTo place an Obituary contact us at Archives
November 2024
Categories |