Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271867
Title: Richard R. Melchert
Date: 6/19/1946-10/9/2025
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 6/19/1946
Summary: Richard R. Melchert, age 79, passed into the heavenly realm on October 9, 2025, at St. Aloisius Long-Term Care Center-Unit B. Richard was born June 19, 1946, to Raymond and Mabel (Beyer) Melchert at Morris, Minnesota, the eldest of six children. His younger years were spent living at a country store and attending a one-room school through 7th grade. Beginning in 8th grade, Richard found himself adjusting to a larger school setting. He soon had a paper route, learning responsibility through this steady work. Summers found him working on one of his uncle’s farms learning how to drive a tractor and handle farm duties. Throughout his high school years, he was active in Luther League. Adults mentoring him encouraged him to consider church work as his vocation. He graduated from Morris High School in 1964. In applying to colleges, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota accepted his application. His orientation group included a girl that caught his eye, named Wanda Schwartz, a music education major. Eventually, they began dating, at which time, Richard began attending music concerts. This opened to him the big, beautiful world of music. Richard enjoyed a wide range of music venues from symphony orchestra to pipe organ to bluegrass to county and much more. He graduated from Concordia College in 1968 with a major in Social Work and a minor in Parish Work. That year, Richard applied to Luther Seminary in St. Paul and began studying for the ministry. Richard and Wanda were married August 17, 1969, at First Lutheran Church-Mandan and then made their home in St. Paul. Richard took some time off from the seminary but soon returned and earned his Master of Divinity degree in 1973. Richard’s first call was to St. John’s Lutheran Church near Ramona, South Dakota. This church welcomed the young couple with much love. After serving two years, Richard delved into another area of his interests, that of bookkeeping and accounting. After securing further schooling at Dakota State College at Madison, South Dakota, Richard worked for 25 years in various businesses including a utility company and insurance companies in North Dakota, Michigan, and New Mexico. Richard and Wanda’s journey next led them to North Dakota where Wanda was working with Manfred, North Dakota, and its history. When Richard was interviewing for job positions, one interviewer noticed Richard’s ministry background and mentioned a need for pastors. Richard took seriously this holy nudge and began preaching throughout the region. He was then called to the three-point parish of Dodge, Golden Valley, and Zap in 2000 in which the parish welcomed this older couple with open arms. He served there for ten years before retiring in 2010. They lived at Harvey, Mandan, and finally settled on a farmstead north of Manfred where they became cat parents to Lucky, Tigger, and Miss Kitty. This fit perfectly well with Richard’s love of God’s amazing world of animals. Richard was a member of Vang Lutheran Church, Manfred History and Preservation, Inc., and Fagerlund Sons of Norway. His hobbies included reading, horseshoes, bowling, painting-by-number, and crossword puzzles. Richard’s quiet and gentle nature is forever treasured by his wife Wanda of 56 years; siblings: David Melchert, Linda Melchert, Wanda Friedrich, and Raymond Melchert; brother-in-law Merlin Schwartz (Laurie); niece Jenny Taylor (James) and nephews Andy Schwartz (Kay) and Karl Friedrich; grandnieces Hazel Refsell, Taya Schwartz, and Mari Schwartz; and grandnephews Ben Refsell, Caleb Dumke, and Ethan Dumke. Preceding him in death where his parents, brother Stanley Melchert, brother-in law William “Bill” Friedrich, and nieces Lydia Friedrich and Hannah (Eric) Refsell. We on earth gained much from Richard’s presence, and we can hear a clear voice saying, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Red ID: FND_I_79362 Image ID: 538526 Image Notes: FND001 271867

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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