Melvin "Mel" Schneider, age 84, of Huron, died Thursday, September 10, 2015, at his home. His funeral service was held at 10 AM, Monday, September 14th, at Mt. Olivet Church, with Rev. David Erdman and Pastor Andre Laird, officiating. Burial was in the Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. Military honors were conducted by the Huron Veterans Council.
Melvin Paul Schneider was born in Bon Homme County, South Dakota near Scotland, on October 7, 1930, to Otto and Eugenia (Kraft) Schneider. He was raised on a farm near Scotland, South Dakota. He attended rural schools and Scotland Elementary School. In 1946, the Schneider family moved to Huron.Mel attended Huron High School but was drafted into the Army before graduating.During his military service tour in Korea he earned his GED.He was awarded an honorary diploma at a special graduation ceremony on November 9, 2012, and became a member of the Huron High School Class of 2012.
He was confirmed in the Congregational Church at Scotland, South Dakota. He accepted Jesus Christ as his savior at the age of nineteen but was wayward for many years. On October 7, 1954, his twenty-fourth birthday, Mel was in a tractor power-take-off accident which left him uninjured but wearing only one glove and his boots.Realizing that he had just been given a second chance at life, Mel finally surrendered his life to the Lord. Jesus has been a special guide for his life ever since. Mel praised the Lord as He showed Mel more of His love and grace every day.
Mel served in the US Armed Forces from September 1951 to September 1953. He was stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, before he served thirteen months in Chuncheon and Wonju, Korea with the Army Sixth Armored Division as an operator of heavy equipment during the Korean Conflict. During his service he earned the Korean Service Medal W/3 Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
On October 25, 1953, Mel married Faye Jaquette in Huron at the American Lutheran Church. The couple lived in and around Huron all of their married life, except nine months near Woonsocket, South Dakota.
Mel worked at the West Hatchery, Reese Elevator, Mick's Milling and farmed. He was employed for 27 years as a city letter carrier for the US Postal Service in Huron before retiring in 1990. Faye and Mel later began a painting and wood finishing business.
Mel became a member of Mt. Olivet Church in 1948 and served as deacon, trustee and treasurer for many years. Mel and Faye started the children's church program at Mt. Olivet and taught Sunday school off and on for many years. Mel also enjoyed singing in church choir and quartets as well as the Silvertones.He served three years on Grant Township School Board and on the Child Evangelism State Board for about four years and two years as board president.
Mel's goal and prayer is and always has been "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15. His hope and prayer was that his family would always follow through with their faith.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Faye on March 2, 2000; his daughter, Gail Siebert on March 3, 1978; his brother, LeRoy Schneider; his sister, Ruby Ochsner and her husband Helmuth; and a sister-in-law, Ida Schneider.
Grateful for having shared in his life are his two daughters, Debra (Paul) Hetle of Cavour and Karen (Todd) Beck of Ripon, Wisconsin; his son, Kent (Lisa) Schneider of Huron; his son-in-law, Dennis (Tanya) Siebert of Mountain Lake, Minnesota; brother, Victor Schneider of Huron; sister-in-law, Beverly Schneider of Nampa, Idaho; fourteen grandchildren, Jason (Anne), Joshua (Rachel), and Micah (Brittany) Siebert, Angela (Alan) Clipperton, Philip (Joy) Hetle, April (Joshua) Larson, Gina (Dustin) Mees, Andrew (Heather) Schneider, Sara (Nate) Fangmeier, Kamelia Schneider, Caleb (Samantha), Taylor, Kylie and Cauy Beck; and sixteen great-grandchildren.