Steffen, Melvin N. 1923-1986

STEFFEN, KARSTEN, GABEL, BREITING, GRAHAM STRONG, LUECHT

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/26/2012 at 10:01:29

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Aug. 11, 1986

MELVIN STEFFEN
SERVICES HELD

Melvin N. Steffen, 62, of Rte. 2, Malcom, died of cancer Saturday, Aug. 16, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at the Malcom Trinity Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Gerald F. Brown officiating. Music was provided by Kathleen Heffner, organist, and Frank Shults, vocalist.

Pallbearers were Murray Brown, David Carter, John Luecht, Harry McNaul, Bob Niemann and Virgil Thompson. Honorary bearers were Lester Baird, Tom Bowers, Dr. W.D. Buzard, John Dalton, Herchel Griffith, Ray Herbrandt, Lyle Johnson and Leonard Souter.

Burial was in Jackson Township Cemetery at Montezuma, with the Smith Funeral Home of Grinnell in charge of arrangements. Memorials in Mr. Steffen's name may be left at the funeral home.

The son of Carl and Augusta Karsten Steffen, he was born near Deep River on Oct. 29, 1923. He attended rural schools and farmed near Barnes City.

During World War II he served with the U.S. Navy on the USS Lexington in the Pacific. Following his discharge, he was married to Norma Fern Gabel on March 29, 1946. The couple farmed southwest of Malcom for 39 years. Mr. Steffen was recognized for the breeding of South Devon cattle, having shown at numerous Midwest stock shows and the Iowa State Fair.

He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, the Iowa South Devon Association, the North American South Devon Association, the Iowa Cattlemen's Association, and the Poweshiek County Farm Bureau.

He is survived by his children, Larry N. of Newton, David M. of Rte. 2, Malcom, and Linda Breiting of Rte. 2, Malcom; two grandchildren; two sisters, Elsie Graham of Norwalk and Erna Strong of Brooklyn; and one brother, Henry (Heine) Steffen of State Center.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma; one son, Timothy W.; a daughter, Marilyn Jean Steffen; his parents; four brothers, Alfred, Arnold, Otto and Harold; and two sisters, Alma Luecht and one in infancy.