Melvin W. Horst

NORFOLK -- Private family burial for Melvin William Horst, 90, of Norfolk will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at the Prospect Hill Cemetery in Norfolk with Rev. David Goehmann officiating. He passed away late Saturday evening, April 4, 2020 at Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk. Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk is in charge of arrangements. Melvin was born on November 20, 1929, in rural Wisner, the fourth child of William and Martha (Beerbohm) Horst. He was raised as a hard working farm son who grew up hand shucking corn into a wagon, using horses to plow fields and eventually driving tractors to raise crops and feed livestock on the family farm. He was baptized into the faith at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in rural Wisner and attended grade school at St. Matthew’s Lutheran School. He received his 8th grade diploma and was confirmed at St. Matthew’s Church in 1943. After his graduation, he worked various jobs on family and neighbor’s farms, for his sister and brother-in-law, Wyllis and Vernita Shultz, at their gas station near Pilger, and at Ening Sand and Gravel Pit. He enjoyed farming the best. In his free time, He enjoyed attending dances (sometimes three nights a week) in area dance halls and this eventually led him to meet the love of his life, Ione Cech, in 1950 at the Howells Ballroom. On December 29, 1953, he was married to Ione at St. Matthew’s Church and they made their first home on a farm near the Union Creek by Stanton, NE. They farmed, raised livestock, enjoyed fishing in the creek and hunting in the surrounding area. In 1962 they moved to Norfolk where they purchased their current home. Melvin worked for Gerhold Concrete making and hauling cement blocks all over Northeast Nebraska. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk. His hobbies included shuffleboard, playing cards, dancing at King’s Ballroom and Riverside, and gardening. He was blessed with two daughters and the family enjoyed spending time together camping, attending Kansas City Royals baseball games, riding roller coasters and visiting relatives. Melvin retired in 1995 and spent his time maintaining a beautiful garden and lawn, socializing with friends on casino bus trips, playing cards with family and friends, and attending as many of their grandkids' events as they could manage. They were their grandkid’s biggest fans and cheerleaders. Melvin and Ione celebrated 66 years of marriage this past December. He treasured spending time with his family and farming was always dear to his heart, often catching rides in a tractor or combine with his son-in-law, Dean, and taking rides to check on crops. Melvin is survived by his wife Ione of Norfolk, daughter Jule (Dean) Hamling of St. Edward, daughter Cheryl Musil (Steve Svoboda) of Columbus, granddaughter Christina Hamling of Lincoln, NE, his granddaughter Alicia (Cory) Preister of Norfolk, grandson Calvin Musil of Columbus, great-granddaughter Madelyn Preister of Norfolk, brother in-law and his wife Elden and Ruth Cech of Clarkson, brother-in-law Eldon Asche of Columbus as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Merlin (Dorothy) Horst, his sister Vernita (Wyllis) Schulz, his sister Eileen (Harlan) Renner, sister Delores Horst, his parents in-law Theodore and Lillian Cech, sister-in-law Elaine (Eldon) Asche and sister-in-law Margaret Groteluschen and her husband Norris as well as nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for designation later or to donor’s choice. Because we cannot gather and visit in the time of COVID-19, we ask that you please share stories or pictures with the family via the Stonacek Funeral Chapel website at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com or by mail to the family at 305 N. Cottonwood St., Norfolk, NE., 68701.

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Melvin W. Horst

November 20, 1929 - April 4, 2020