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
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