Melvin Louis Kischer

Melvin L. Kischer, age 93, of Waukee, Iowa formerly of Newell, Iowa died Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at Village At Legacy Pointe in Waukee. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Newell. Burial will follow in the Newell Cemetery. Visitation will take place Friday, December 9, 2016 from 6-8:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Melvin Louis Kischer was born to Henry Dietrich Kischer and Lenora Elizabeth (Ganz) Kischer (formerly from Mendota, Illinois) on February 3, 1923, in his parents’ rural farmhouse 6 ½ miles north of Newell, Iowa. He was baptized as an infant at St. John Lutheran Church, a country church located 2 ½ miles away from the family homestead. At the age of three, his parents changed their church affiliation to St. Peter Lutheran Church in the town of Newell because Sunday School was offered. Melvin purportedly spoke only German at home until the age of five when he started school at Coon Township #4 country school just ½ mile south from where he was born and lived. Melvin attended this school through the 8th grade level when he became a full-time farm helper to his father. Melvin was confirmed in his Christian faith, age 14, at St. Peter Lutheran Church where he has remained a steadfast and lifelong member serving on many committees, church offices and as head elder. As a youth, he was an active member in the Walther League church group where he traveled to many area youth group meetings and banquets. At one such gathering of youth, he had the good fortune to meet a precocious young lady seated behind him. She had been dared to lodge a pin head between the toe leathers and sole of her shoe and give a gentle kick in the behind of the boy seated in front of her. It worked, and that boy became stuck on her, and he eventually married Elaine Edna Rohlfsen on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945. After marriage, the young couple started farming on rental property just a mile away from Melvin’s boyhood home. Upon the death of his grandmother, “Little G’ma” Lizzy, Melvin and Elaine moved onto the 160-acre ancestral property across the road from Henry and Lenora on Christmas Eve 1953. This union was blessed with four children. They remained a successful farm couple on this farm and expanded operations until April of 1988 when Elaine’s deteriorating eyesight and declining general health obliged them to move into their last home in the town of Newell. Elaine passed away May 31, 1999, at Marian Health Center, Sioux City, after a prolonged illness. Due to declining health, Melvin moved in December of 2012 into an assisted living apartment in the Des Moines metro area. Besides his devoted wife of 53 years, Melvin was preceded in death by both parents, a younger sister Darlene Hasenbank, brothers-in-law Arthur Hasenbank, Vern Rohlfsen, Orlen Rohlfsen and Don Rohlfsen, and two sons-in-law Rocky Stumo (Shirley) and Jay Tatman (Margaret). Left to cherish the memory of Melvin’s life are sons: Larry (Uni) Kischer of West Des Moines, IA, and Wayne Kischer of West Des Moines, IA; daughters: Shirley Stumo of West Concord, MN, and Margaret Tatman of Graettinger, IA; nine grandchildren: Michelle (Matt) Hamilton of Hayfield, MN, Nicole Wiseman (fiancé Matt Jech) of Rochester, MN, Seth Claussen-Pohl (Don) of Orlando, FL, Josh Claussen of Graettinger, IA, Nate Kischer of Colorado Springs, CO, James Tatman of Atlanta, GA, Kim Pickett of Pella, IA, Tyler Tatman of Austin, TX, Jesse (Beth) Tatman of Atlanta, GA, and seven great-grandchildren: Natalie Pickett of West Des Moines, IA, Hannah (Peter) Bailey of Polk City, IA, Emily Pickett of Pella, IA, Cael and Shane Claussen of Graettinger, IA, Ella Tatman of Austin, TX, Tucker Tatman of Atlanta, GA. Other survivors include sisters-in-law: Phyllis Rohlfsen of Newell, IA, Mary Rohlfsen of Mason City, IA, and Miriam Rohlfsen of West Des Moines, IA; as well as five nieces, seven nephews, and their families.

Melvin Louis Kischer

February 3, 1923 - December 7, 2016