Richard Melhorn
Richard (Dick) Edgar Melhorn, 91, of Cushing passed away November 17, 2024, with his wife, Josie by his side.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held November 26, 2024, at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Motley. Visitation will be held one hour prior to Mass at the church.
Burial will be at the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery, near Little Falls.
Richard (Dick) Edgar Melhorn was born September 11, 1933 to Henry and Altha Melhorn. He grew up on a farm just outside Bemidji. He was educated in Bemidji and following his formal education, worked odd jobs, driving a soda truck out of Duluth, before enlisting in the Army in 1954. Dick was stationed in Munich during the end of the Korean War. There, he met the love of his life, Josefa (Josie) Fickler. They were married in July, 1956 and returned to the U.S. the same year making their home in the Minneapolis area. Dick attended Dunwoody Institute to become a Tool & Die Maker. It was his dream to someday own his own business, which he worked hard to accomplish while he and Josie raised a family of six children: Rick, Mark, Caroline, Chris, Tom and Marty. Dick’s dream was realized when he became the owner of RKO.
In 1997, Dick and Josie retired to Fishtrap Lake near Cushing. Dick was an active member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church serving on the Parish Council Finance Committee for the church building expansion, in the roles of Usher and Eucharistic Minister and assisting with CCD classes. Dick was an avid gardener, having many flowerbeds at his home. He and Josie provided flowers for the church for many years. In addition to gardening, Dick loved to read, hunt, fish and work in his woodshop.
Dick is survived by his wife of 68 years, Josefa Melhorn of Minnetonka; six children, Richard (Sharon Marlette) Melhorn of Pine River, Mark (Karen) Melhorn of Crystal, Caroline (Scott) Spillers of Watertown, Christopher (Dawn) Melhorn of Forest Lake, Thomas Melhorn of White Bear Lake, Martin (Lesa) Melhorn of Grosse Isle, MI; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren and one sister, Elsie Mae Stauty of Duluth.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Darlene Cardwell and one brother, Robert Melhorn.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Scandia Valley Rescue.
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