A Funeral Service for Vernon Melby will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 11:00AM at Oiland Free Lutheran Church in rural Greenbush, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Lunch will be served following the service. Interment will take place at a later date.
Vernon Harlan Melby, the son of Enock & Tilda (Dokken) Melby, was born at home on July 16, 1935 in rural Badger, MN. He was the 2nd of 6 brothers. Vernon was baptized, confirmed, and a lifelong member of Oiland Free Lutheran Church. He attended the Haug School and the Greenbush High School before staying at home to work on the farm and help out other farmers in the area.
In 1958, at the age of 23, Vernon was drafted in to the US Army and completed Basic Training in Fort Carson, Colorado. After Basic Training he was stationed in California and then made his way to New York where he would board a naval ship to Germany. There in Mannheim, Germany Vernon served as a mechanic in the US Army until his honorable discharge in 1960. After he was discharged from the Army, Vernon returned back home to the family farm in rural Badger.
Vernon was a lifelong farmer, farming with 3 of his brothers. These 4 brothers met every morning for coffee at “The Home Place.” Every year at harvest time the brothers each had their “assigned” jobs. Vernon drove the swather, Harvey drove the combine, Donnie & Gary drove the grain trucks, and Loyd brought the grain into town to check the moisture. Vernon was also the go-to brother for anything that needed to be fixed or welded on the farm. He was your man for those jobs and would share this gifting by helping out other local farmers as well.
Vernon enjoyed farming, fishing, hunting, trap shooting, going to farm auction sales, visiting, car races, playing the harmonica, and collecting and listening to music records. He also enjoyed making “mixed music” cassette tapes of some of his favorite songs to listen to in the car or share with family & friends.
Vernon lived most of adult life with his brother, Loyd. Brothers Donnie & Gary lived just a mile away, and his brother Harvey and family lived just 2 miles away. Vernon had a close relationship with his brothers and family, and enjoyed spending time with his nieces, nephews, great nieces & great nephews. Vernon had a good sense of humor, and he was a friend to many!
Vernon is survived by one brother: Gary Melby of Badger, MN.
2 Nieces – Patti (Paul) Robinson of Badger, MN & Laura (Dwayne) Mast of Roseau, MN
Great Nephews & Nieces – Anisa (Isaac) Nelson of New London, MN; Trever Robinson of Grove City, MN; and Eliana, Ava, Olivia, & Zander Mast of Roseau, MN.
Vernon was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Donald E. Melby in 2018, Loyd Melby in 2016, Harvey Melby in 2010, an infant brother in 1946, and sister-in-law Rebecca Melby in 2022.
Vernon Melby died on Friday, March 3, 2023 in the Karlstad Senior Living Center (Karlstad, MN) at the age of 87 years, 7 months, & 15 days.
Last modified: 03/08/2023
