Obituary

http://www.fratzkejensen.com/obituaries/Melvin-Samuelson/

April 30, 1921 - May 19, 2015

Local schools, ICCC leader Samuelson passes away at 94

 

Friday, May 22, 2015

By DANA LARSEN / Pilot-Tribune Editor

As a leader in education in Storm Lake for over 30 years, Mel

Samuelson saw issues come and crises go.

His famous words were, "You know, there will be school

tomorrow" - his way of assuring that no matter the troubles,

that tomorrow was always a new day, that every challenge

would be met, and that schools had better be ready when their

students arrive at the door.

Samuelson, former longtime Superintendent of Schools for Storm Lake, and a driving

force behind the establishment of the Storm Lake Iowa Central Community College

Center, passed away Tuesday at 94, at his home. Memorial services will be Saturday at 11

a.m. at St. Mary's Church in Storm Lake. Visitation is Friday 6-8 p.m. at Fratzke &

Jensen funeral home.

In 2004, the ICCC building in Storm Lake was named in honor of Samuelson, though the

humble Storm Laker asked that his name not be placed on the outside of the center. A

plaque was erected in a hallway instead.

Samuelson served as a trustee and chairman of the board for Iowa Central, and led the

effort to form the League of Schools program in the region.
 

"A lot of people got some great career and skills education thanks to the efforts of Mel,"

Storm Lake ICCC Center Director Dan Anderson told the Pilot-Tribune Wednesday.

"He was a strategic thinker, a collaborator, a person who was somehow able to get many

entities all going the same direction at the same time. He was a great mentor as well."

Always quick to deflect credit, Samuelson had said he was shocked by the naming of the

center. "I really wonder whether I've done enough to deserve an honor like this one...

and there were lots of people who were involved in setting up the League of Schools and

working with Iowa Central here."

"Mel played a huge role in establishing one of the premier education centers, and the

League of School where different rural high schools can come together for the common

good of their students. Nothing in this state has ever really replicated what he achieved

in the Storm Lake area," ICCC officials said at the time.

"Somehow, he overcame all the turf issues to build a program that remains a model for

the whole midwest if not the nation in innovative college services for rural schools."

Samuelson started his career as a classroom teacher in Alta. He moved to Linn Grove to

accept his first administration position as superintendent of that district, then later

returned to his roots as Alta's superintendent. When an opportunity opened in Storm

Lake, he became assistant superintendent for the district, and soon, was named

superintendent. He logged 19 years in the school administration building before retiring

in 1986 as one of the best-remembered education leaders in the community's history.

Just months later, he became involved with Iowa Central Community College, and was

 

 

 

 elected to the Board of Trustees within a year of his school retirement, when asked to fill

a vacant seat. He served approximately 13 years on the board, including five years as

chairman.

"I found my experience with Iowa Central to be very interesting and very worthwhile," he

reflected shortly after retiring. "I think we were one of the first in the state to use a

community college in the public schools. It did a good job of taking care of the needs of

people who weren't in a position to go to a four-year college at the time. The college has

really evolved, and it is now instrumental in providing college credit classes within the

high school which students can transfer to other colleges and universities in the state,

and in so many aspects of community adult and vocational education."

In his retirement, Samuelson remained active, working with the Lutheran Brotherhood

(now Thrivent) in many good community causes, serving with the local chapter of the

American Red Cross, serving on the Methodist Manor Care Review Committee, church

efforts, Kiwanis Club and other community programs.

Since his early days as an educator, both the face of education and the young people it

serves have changed, he notes. "I started out teaching things like typing and shorthand,

and those courses don't even exist anymore as we've adapted to the computer age. And

the students back then didn't run into a lot of the things that they have to deal with

today."

If he were here, he would remind is that there will indeed be school tomorrow. And in

one will be a golden plaque honoring a man who reminded us to keep it in perspective.

 

Brenda's post

Mystery Question:

Why did Melvin die now, near the end of May?

            The songbirds have all returned and can be heard trilling their proclamations of joy in life.  The spring flowers have taken turns blossoming and shedding petals like confetti onto the greening grass and moist earth.  Hope and expectancy are in the air.  The lush days of summer lay ahead, waiting to be leisurely unfolded. 

            So, why would Melvin die just now?

            The answer lies in one of Melvin’s earliest memories from his childhood.  He remembered standing by the upstairs window on his family’s farm and looking out to watch the horse drawn school bus approach. His older brother Vernon would leave on the bus to go to a place of learning.  For some reason, Melvin felt a sense of joy in watching the approach and departure of the bus that took children to school. 

            That joy in connecting students to school stayed with Melvin throughout life.  It could be seen on the bulletin board above his desk at the old Alta school.  Each year, he mapped out the various bus routes with stick pins and colored threads, creating somewhat of a piece of art.  All the students in his district, no matter how rural the gravel road, would not be forgotten. 

            Melvin’s joy in creating educational opportunities always culminated during the flurry of end of the school year activities – track meets, music concerts, school picnics, excited children anticipating the final bell, and the graduating class, filled with potential, waiting for their commencement ceremony to begin.  These were Melvin’s glory days.  It was at this time in May that Melvin breathed his sense of accomplishment.  And, that is why Melvin died just now, near the end of May, when wrens are singing and spirea bushes are blossoming white.   Melvin has earned his achievement awards, and it is his time for commencement.
B.L. Samuelson

Sermon for Melvin V. Samuelson 1921-2015

Funeral for Melvin Victor Samuelson

May 23, 2015 – St. Mark Lutheran Church, Storm Lake, Iowa

John 3:16-21 & Revelation 14:13

I can see him now, Melvin and his friends on a hot summer’s day swimming in the old swimming hole north of town by the cemetery, pushing and shoving with his buds, having a great old time… a relief on a hot summer day in Albert City, Iowa.  

 

The summer band concerts in city square selling popcorn, having a gay old time, a great relief from chores at home, where even as a child helping his mother Minnie, whose husband Carl had passed, helped with things around the house, the chickens, garden, perhaps a cow or pig or two.  It was a lot of responsibility for a young lad being one of the men of the house…no father to help show the way.  But even then his values were being formed… a strong work ethic, no stranger to accompanying his mother to the Covenant Church, a deeply grounded patriotism fed by the band shell concerts downtown in Albert City.  Like Meredith Willson of Music Man fame in the city where Colleen and I now live…those roots run deep and no matter where you go and what you do, or what you amount to, that place, that town, those people will always inform everything else you do, color every other decision you’ll make.   

Having been blessed with a good education, having served in the greatest wartime effort in the history of this country, anchored in the values of small town/rural Iowa, Melvin would be become well-traveled, decisive in management skills, willing and determined to pay a price to maintain those values.  In the face of those who would criticize a public officer, he remained steadfast, anchored in those values of honesty and straight forwardness.  In later years when I would be out and about with Mel, it was clear the great respect with which he was greeted by others, except perhaps his coffee buddies who were determined to give him a bad time, stick him with the tab for morning coffee.  Melvin was an individual that when he gave his word he intended to keep it, often traveling many miles, if need be to attend a makeup meeting in order to preserve his perfect attendance among his Kiwanian colleagues.  In that way he reminded me of the diligence of my own father who tragically died too young.  Mel in fact was the “father” in my life far longer than my own dad.   

Writes John in Revelation:  “I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this:  Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.”  “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”   

Mel was full of many deeds in his lifetime, a faithful husband to Clara, and father to four bright and articulate daughters.  Gave leadership through the years in obtaining and managing millions of dollars in public funding for education, negotiated myriads of teaching contracts, built buildings, traversed lean years, gave pride to Linn Grove, Alta, and Storm Lake as leader schools in the region in sports and academics.  But if education was a first commitment, not far behind was his love for the community locally and regionally, as well as decades of leadership on the Iowa Central Community College board.  Even today his caricature remains in the entrance to the Iowa Central community college Storm Lake satellite. The wing named in his honor.  

As a regional church leader, Mel served on church boards, in synodical/district leadership, was instrumental in the Office of the Lutheran Bishop of the Western Synod being located right here in Storm Lake, participated in a number of church building campaigns, and attended as a voting member a number of regional & national assemblies of Lutheran’s.  Of great pride and joy was his involvement in the resettlement of hundreds of Laotian refugees here in Storm Lake, the formation of an ecumenical ministry and worship site for the Southeast Asian Christians that also served as community center for several decades.

And here in this very place Mel and family rooted themselves in worship, learning, and service.  Here daughters were married, friends and extended family laid to rest.  This was home, this is the place Mel anticipated we would gather today, believing you would gather around his family and memory… the thought of this was like a rock in the midst of the unyielding decline of health of these past several years.

Justus Jonas, theologian and colleague of Doctor Martin Luther assured Luther on his death-bed, “Reverend Father, “God grant that you will feel better.”  Whereupon Luther said, “O Heavenly Father, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, God of all consolation, I thank you that you have revealed your Son Jesus Christ to me, in whom I believe, of whom I have preached, and in whom I have confessed, whom I have loved and praised….I beg you, My Lord Jesus Christ, command my small soul.  O, Heavenly Father though I shall have to leave this body and be torn from this life, I know for certain that I shall remain with you eternally, and that no one can tear me from your hands.”  “Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.”   

Therein, so it is written, Luther joined the Lord in peaceful sleep.     

And with that, the words of Jesus (John 8:51) came to Dr. Jonas, “Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”   

For Melvin, I suspect his parting word to us and which was a core conviction for him, is reflected in the hymn/anthem Melvin could sing in his first language, Swedish, the  beloved, “Children of the heavenly father, safely in his bosom gather…”   

And so dear friends we commend Melvin, husband, father, relative, colleague, and friend to God’s unending and tenacious care, certain that though our lives, and his, are less than perfect, though we have been at times less than obedient, and that from our mouths have come words and sentiments we would give anything to take back, still we trust and believe in our heart of hearts that we are treasured by God and can now enter the sleep of a lifetime, resting secure in God’s love in Jesus the Savior, confident we shall be reunited with loved ones, where neither life, nor death, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Savior.  To him, to God alone be the glory.  

Amen.  

The Rev. Dr. Michael Arthur Last,

Bishop Emeritus

Son-in-law