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Melvin Fredrick Schlachter

Melvin Fredrick Schlachter, 90, of Grand Island, formerly a 46 year resident of Hastings, NE, died January 10, 2010 at home (Riverside Lodge) in Grand Island.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Friday at the St. Mark’s Pro-Cathedral Episcopal Church in Hastings. The Rev. Charles Peek and The Reverend Barbara Schlachter will officiate.  Burial will be in the Parkview Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the church. All Faiths Funeral Home of Grand Island is serving the family.

Mr. Schlachter was born December 20, 1919 near Glenvil, Nebraska the son of William and Marie (Rabbe) Schlachter.

He is preceded in death by wife Mildred (Craven) Schlachter in 1993, parents and sister, Donna Juggert. Survivors are son and daughter-in-law, The Reverend Melvin H. Schlachter and The Reverend Barbara Schlachter of Iowa City, IA; daughters and son-in-law, The Reverend Ellie and Robert Thober of North Platte, NE and Elaine Hibbeler of Grand Island, NE; sisters, Bernice Nelson of Corinth, Texas, Vera Shuck of Edgar, NE, Merna Kinnison of Lincoln, NE and Lylis Stephenson of Carmichael, CA; brother, Harlan Schlachter of Hansen, NE and sister-in-law, Doris Herdina of Red Hook, NY.

Additional survivors are seven grandchildren and their spouses, Jeffrey and April Hibbeler of Davidson, NC, Erika (Schlachter) and David Sward of Kensington, MD, Paul and Amy Thober of Papillion, NE, Steven and Haley Hibbeler of Westminster, CO, Mark and Sarah Thober of Columbia, MD, Jake Schlachter of Troy, OH, Jonathan and Tonya Thober of Lincoln, NE; nine great-grandchildren, Grady and Brody Thober of Papillion, Abigail and Brooke Hibbeler of Davidson, NC, Emma and Jackson Thober of Lincoln, Lexi Hibbeler of Westminster, CO, Mary Thober of Columbia, MD and Matthew Sward of Kensington, MD.

Mel grew up and was educated near Glenvil, NE.  Having left high school to help support his family during the depression and then having served honorably during World War II, Mel was awarded an honorary high school diploma by the Nebraska State Board of Education in 1999.  Mel enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in December, 1941, serving until 1946. He was stationed at Rockaway Beach, Long Island, NY; Panama, and San Pedro, CA during WWII.  Mel was united in marriage to Mildred E. Craven on October 1, 1944 in Yonkers, NY.  Mel farmed near Angus and Pauline, NE for several years.  He was shop foreman for Sherman Service International Harvester in Hastings for many years before joining the staff as buildings and grounds supervisor of the USDA Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center, NE. in 1966.  Mel retired in 1982. 

Mel was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Hastings, serving as Junior Warden and vestry member several times over the years.  He was also a board member of the St. Mark’s Foundation for many years.  He was a member of the American Legion Post 11 and Veterans of Foreign Wars in Hastings.  For several years Mel volunteered his RV as a support vehicle to accompany the Special Olympics Torch Run through parts of Nebraska.  For this service to the Special Olympics, Mel was made an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy by Governor Ben Nelson.  He also delivered Meals on Wheels in the Hastings area.  Mel enjoyed fishing, camping, woodworking and traveling during his retirement years.

Memorials are suggested to St. Mark’s Pro-Cathedral and the Special Olympics.