MARY RICKETTS MARRIED.
Of interest here is the marriage Sunday evening at the Friends Church in Marshalltown of Miss Mary Kay Ricketts, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. R. A. Ricketts of Zearing and Lieut. Weston Melson of the army air force stationed at Columbia, S. C. Lieut. Melson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Melson of West Liberty.
The bride, who is a sister of Mrs. Archie Allison and who has visited here upon numerous occasions was attended by her sister, Mrs. Burnell Womeldorff of Mingo. Mr. Womeldorff also served as the groom’s attendant.
A reception was held following the ceremony at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Britten; Mrs. Britten being another sister of the bride.
Lieut. and Mrs. Melson will make their home for the present at Columbia, S. C.
Source: State Center Enterprise, February 3, 1944
Weston Melson of Atalissa Is Listed Missing
Tipton—Lieut. Weston F. Melson, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. O. Melson of Rochester, south of Tipton, pilot of a U. S. bombing plane, has been missing in action over Germany since Nov. 18, according to information received from the War Department by his parents.
Lieut. Melson is a brother of Mrs. William Naber of Tipton. His wife lives at Zearing. He went overseas shortly after spending a leave here in August, 1944.
Lieut. Melson is a graduate of Springdale high school and received his B. A. degree at Penn College, Oskaloosa. Before entering the Army, he was an instructor and coach at high schools at Zearing and Bondurant, Ia.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Dec. 9, 1944
LIST OF MISSING IN ACTION GREW IN 1944
Among those from this area who have been listed as missing in action in official dispatches to next of kin, and upon casualty lists of the armed services, are:
LT. WESTON F. MELSON—Pilot of a U. S. bomber, Lt. Weston Melson, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Melson, of Rochester, south of Tipton, has been missing in action over Germany since Nov. 18, 1944, his parents were informed in December. He went overseas in August, 1944. He was an instructor and coach at high schools at Zearing and Bondurant, Ia., before entering the army. His wife lives at Zearing.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Friday, December 29, 1944
Melson Services Held In Rochester Church Thursday
TIPTON—Funeral services for A. O. Melson, lifetime resident of Cedar county, were held at the Rochester Methodist church Thursday afternoon with Rev. A. W. Straub of Tipton officiating. Burial was in the Tipton Masonic cemetery. The services were in charge of the Wilson Funeral Home, Tipton.
Mr. Melson died at his home north of Atalissa Monday at the age of 76 years. He was born in Cedar county September 2, 1871. He is survived by his widow, four daughters: Clara Maude Naber, Tipton; Dorothy Weinfuster, Arpen, Wis.; Blanch B. Christensen, West Branch; and Frances J. Blakesley, Chicago, Ill. And two sons, Mearl Melson, Edinburg, Texas, and William Jay Melson, Atalissa, as well as one brother, Ira Melson of Tipton; one sister, Mrs. Ellen Christensen of Waterloo; nine grandsons and seven granddaughters. A son, Weston F. Melson, was killed in action over St. Wendel, Germany, on November 18, 1944.
Source: Iowa City Press, July 16, 1948
Weston Fisher Melson was born May 10, 1917 to Alfred Orien and Clara Anna Kensinger Melson. He died Nov. 18, 1944 and is buried in Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, NE.
1st Lt. Melson served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps and was KIA in Germany as the pilot of a B-26 Bomber.
Source: ancestry.com
