Melvin A. Hagemeyer, 90

Melvin A. Hagemeyer, age 90, of Stendal, Indiana, passed away at 4:45 p.m., Saturday, January 5, 2013 at Brookside Village Assisted Living Center in Jasper.

He was born February 27, 1922, in Stendal, Indiana, to parents, Oscar and Marie (Nass) Hagemeyer.

Melvin graduated from Stendal School and entered the US Army Air Corps, serving his country during WW II. He graduated from Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree and married Billie Bugg in Hastings. Melvin worked as Postmaster in Juniata, Nebraska, retiring in 1972. He was an active member of the Nebraska Postmaster’s Association, serving a term as President.

After retiring from the postal service, Melvin and his wife, Maxine, returned to Melvin’s home town of Stendal where they lived across the street from his childhood home. He worked as a carpenter and did small engine repair. The large garden Melvin & Maxine worked every year was a great source of pride to them. Melvin’s biggest hobby was his ham radio, and he was an active member of the Pike County Amateur Radio Club. He and Maxine published the newsletter for the club & they attended many “ham fests”. He truly enjoyed contacting friends & talking to new people, checking in on the radio at least twice a day.

Another great source of pride to Melvin was the work involved in getting the fire department started in Stendal. He was one of the founding members for the Lockhart Township Volunteer Fire Department and did the secretarial/administrative paperwork plus was the radio dispatcher. He was a member of St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Stendal.

He is survived by: one son & daughter-in-law, Bruce (Diane) Hagemeyer of Pella, Iowa; two granddaughters – Andrea (Rusty) Husted of Overland Park, Kansas and Cassandra (Curt) Ellis of Grimes, Iowa; four great-grandchildren – Ryan Husted & Kelly Husted of Overland Park, Kansas and Holly Ellis & Audrey Ellis of Grimes, Iowa; two nieces – Nancy (Bill) Stratman of Huntingburg and Jane (her son, Derek) Tormohlen of Pocatello, Idaho; two nephews- Tom (Mae) Tormohlen of Otwell and Jerry Rolens of Winslow; and his wife Maxine’s five children.

He was preceded in death by: his parents; his wife, Maxine Hagemeyer, who passed away September 7, 1995; one stillborn son; and one sister, Florence Tormohlen.

Funeral services for Melvin A. Hagemeyer will be held at 10:00 a.m., (E.S.T.), on Friday, January 11, 2013 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Stendal with burial to follow at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery in Stendal. Pastor Ed Wicks will officiate the services. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the Holland American Legion honor guard.

Friends may call for visitation at the Nass & Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg from 2:00-8:00 p.m., on Thursday; and also at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church from 9:00-10:00 a.m., Friday. The Lockhart Township Fire Department and Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association District 18 will conduct a memorial service at 7:00 p.m., Thursday evening, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be sent to: St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Stendal, Indiana.