Melvin Sherva
| Date of Interment or Death | 05/18/1976 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | A |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 9-5-1s |
Obituary
Services set for Tuesday
Melvin Sherva dies at 72
Melvin Sherva wore many hats. The 72-year-old Wahpeton businessman was printer and publisher, president and toastmaster, deacon and "Wildcat of the Year". He was known as "Mel" to most everyone.
At the time of his death Saturday at St. Francis Hospital he was president of the Globe-Gazette Printing Co. which he joined as a compositor in 1928.
Born in St. Hilaire, Minn. Feb. 23, 1904 he attended local schools and began at age 12 an apprenticeship on his hometown newspaper, launching a career in the printing and publishing field that has continued without interruption to the present. His parents were Ole and Mary (Anderson) Sherva.
He attended Bemidji State College and Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis and was employed with Brown & Bigelow in Minneapolis before coming to Wahpeton in 1928.
He married Ruth Reuchel Jan. 1, 1930 at Austin, Minn. The couple lived in Wahpeton until 1935 when he purchased The Journal at Fertile, Minn. which was run as a family enterprise with his wife and son until re-affiliating with the Gobe-Gazette in 1952 in an executive capacity. He later operated that business in partnership with Robert Jacobchick and ultimately became president.
He was frequent contributor to the Farmer Globe, a forerunner of the Daily News.
His wife, Ruth, died Sept. 15, 1971 and he married Borghild Eastlund April 28, 1973.
Active in many civic organizations, he joined the Wahpeton Kiwanis Club in 1952. He became president in 1970 and attended the International convention at San Francisco as a delegate that year. In 1973 he was elected lieutenant governor of Minnesota-Dakota Kiwanis Division 8, the fourth lieutenant governor from the Wahpeton club.
He was also a past president of the Bois de Sioux Toastmasters Club and won the speaker evaluation division of the organization's area speech contest in Alexandria in 1973.
A member of Bethel Lutheran Church, he served on the Board of Deacons for seven years. He was a trustee for the Leach Home and served as chairman for and Red River Valley Hobby and Talent Show staged annually by Twin Town citizens.
He was a Richland County representative on the Eastern North Dakota Heritage Commission and was selected "Wildcat of the Year" at the North Dakota State School of Science in 1972.
He was a member of the Sons of Norway and served on the state level in the North Dakota heart fund drive. While at Fertile he organized the Parent-Teachers Association and was active in Boy Scout work. He also instigated a program that resulted in the improvement of State Highway 32 in northern Minn.
Funeral services for Mr. Sherva will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church with Rev. Marvin L. Hartmann officiating. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery.
Visitation will be Monday afternoon and evening at Vertin's Wahpeton Funeral Home and one hour prior to services at the church.
Honorary casket bearers will be Miles Common, Wallace Ladwig, George Lee, Ed Christian, William Grosz, Dr. Glenn Wiltse, Sig Eng, Sherwood Olsen, Odin Wold, Veron Johnson, Dr. W.R. Kostick, Rev. P.A. Gisvold and Rev. G.W. Tolo.
Active casket bearers will be Robert Jacobchick, Arnold Normann, Jerry Barsness, Joe Blaeser, Burnette Bomstad, Edward Canepa, Walter Potocki, and William Bragg.
Survivors are his wife, Borghild; a son, Blake of Wahpeton; a sister, Mrs. Gladyce Moeller of Hibbing, Minn.; a half-brother, Walter Berg of Alhambra, Calif.; three stepsons, and a stepdaughter.
He was preceded in death by a half brother and three half sisters.
(Vertin's, Wahpeton)
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.