Morris Melby
Age 84, of CanbyArticle Photos
June 23, 1925-June 24, 2009
CANBY - Services for Morris Melby, 84, of Canby, will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church in Canby. Visitation will be from 57 p.m. Saturday at Birk Funeral Home in Canby with a prayer service at 7 p.m. and will resume one hour prior to the service at the church on Sunday. Burial will be at the Grandview Cemetery in Gary, S.D.
He died Wednesday, June 24, 2009, at his home.
Morris Dean Melby was born June 23, 1925, in Fortier Township to Ingvald and Alice (Taylor) Melby. They moved to Manfred Township when Morris was 4 years old. He graduated from Canby High School in 1943 and then enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Sept. 27, 1943. He attended East Central State College in Ada, Okla., then went through pilot training in San Angelo, Texas, and served in the Philippines and Japan during WWII. He was honorably discharged on Dec. 21, 1946.
In 1948, he married Gloria Nelson and they were blessed with five children - Mark, Stuart, Susan, Margret and Betsy. In 1979, Morris was united in marriage to Cheryl Lord of Breckenridge and they were blessed with one son, Jonathan.
He farmed all his life and built his own planes. His hobby was building radio control model planes. His cup was never half empty; he had a smile for everybody and a great sense of humor.
Morris is lovingly remembered by his wife, Cheryl of Canby; his six children, Mark Melby of Kenosha, Wis., and his children Jason, Monica, and Chad; Stuart (and Kathy) Melby of Brookings, S.D., and their children Benjamin and Katie; Susan (and Rob) Anderson of Chester, S.D., and their children Betsy, Landon, Peter, Jade, Caiden, and Brent; Margret (and Ken) Smith of Sioux Falls, S.D., and their children Philip, Jared, Gregory, and Abby; Betsy (and Kevin) Sahlstrom of Onamia, and their children Nat, Justus, Anna, Adam, Noah, Jacob, and Bella; and Jonathan (and Jill) Melby of Brandon, S.D., and their son Taylor; and 11 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and first wife, Gloria.
Blessed be his memory.
