Selken, Melanie 1953-2007

SELKEN, HAVERHALS, GREENE, STORKAN, DEAKINS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/22/2008 at 20:07:26

Melanie Ann (Deakins) Haverhals Selken, 54, of Austin, Minn., formerly of the northwest Iowa area, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, July 19, 2007, following an accident at Grain Miller's Inc. at St. Ansgar, Iowa.

Melanie Ann was born April 10, 1953, in Plainwell, Mich., the daughter of Raymond Greene and Joann Storkan. Melanie spent her childhood in Anaheim, Calif., where she graduated from Western High School in 1971. Melanie was united in marriage to Ross Haverhals, Sr. on Jan. 22, 1972 in Garden Grove, Calif. They were blessed with three children: Juliet, Ross, and Paul. The couple later divorced and Melanie made her home in northwest Iowa, where she worked at K-Products and Pella Company. She married Randy Selken on May 1, 1999, and divorced six years later. Melanie recently made her home in Austin, Minn., where she fell in love with the friendly community, dairy farm life, and became engaged to Dean Sayles.

She was a member of First Reformed Church of Ireton, and most recently she was attending Grace Lutheran Church in Austin, Minn.

Melanie was a great friend to many and will be remembered by her family and friends for her generosity and hospitality. She had a tremendous faith and was truly a woman of prayer.

Melanie is survived by her children: Juliet Martin and her husband Ross of Dubuque, Ross Haverhals and his wife Leah (Kuipers) of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Paul Haverhals and his wife Erin (Doorn) of Camp Zama, Japan; her grandchildren: Dreaka and Cora Haverhals; her mother: Joann Deakins of Bakersfield, Calif.; a brother, Chuck Deakins of Norco, Calif.; a sister: Kathy DeVos of Bakersfield, Calif.; her fiancé: Dean Sayles of Austin, Minn.; and extended family, future in-laws, and countless friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Bill Deakins.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, at the Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars with the Rev. Doug Van Aartsen of First Reformed Church of Ireton officiating. Interment will be in Resthaven Cemetery, rural Le Mars. Visitations with the family present will be after 11 a.m. Tuesday until service time. There will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, at Grace Lutheran Church in Austin, Minn., with the Rev. Robert Iverson officiating.

~Source: LeMars Daily Sentinel, Monday, July 23, 2007