Melba Elaine Messick, age 84 of Elkhart, went home to be with the Lord on Sat. Oct. 20, 2012. Melba was born Sept. 4, 1928 to the late Charles and Fanny (Niemi) North in Newberry, Michigan. On July 4, 1951, she married Gene Messick. They were married for 61 years.
Gene survives, along with their children, Linda (Jerry) Leinonen of Osceola, Larry Messick, and Gene (Carol) Messick Jr., both of Elkhart. Also surviving are 4 grandchildren, Greg (Danielle) Farrell, Kyle Messick, Blaine Messick, and Travis Messick, and a step-granddaughter, Jennie (Daryl) Archie. Surviving as well are 2 great grandchildren, Jonathan and McKenna Farrell. Melba was preceded in death by her siblings Wesley, Paul, Lauri, and Don North, Lillian Munson, Ruth Tracy, Aune Berry, her identical twin sister, Mabel Lindahl, and Joanne Paquin.
Visitation will be held Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Osceola from 5-8 pm. Funeral services will be held at 11 am Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012 at Calvary Assembly of God Church in Elkhart. Entombment will follow in Rice Cemetery.
Melba was a homemaker, but had worked several years for CTS and Dwyers Instruments in Elkhart. She was a member of the Calvary Assembly of God Church and was involved with Frank Gonzalez Ministries, the youth center in Elkhart, and home Bible study through the Osceola Church of the Brethren. She was also known as a "Prayer Warrior" in support of the 58 mission trips she and her husband Gene had served with throughout her lifetime.
In her memory, donations may be made to the Honduras Project in c/o the Spanish Ministries at Calvary Assembly of God.