Due to the winter storm and dangerous driving conditions, the funeral services for Irving "Sonny" Melling, 80, of Hettinger, ND are postponed until Thursday, October 6, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Rev. Robert Boxrud will officiate and burial with full military honors will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be one hour prior to the service at the church.


IRVING "Sonny" MELLING was born on February 28, 1925 at the original family homestead in rural Adams County, ND to Peter and Bertha (Fuglesten) Melling. He attended country school through the 8th grade. Sonny lived and worked on the family farm until 1946 when he entered the US Army and served until the Korean War. When he returned, Sonny continued farming with his brothers, Jimmy and Donnie. During the winter months, he had many other jobs including working as a carpenter for George Olson and driving a beer truck for Tony Fuglesten. Sonny also drove a semi-truck hauling cattle.


On November 10th, 1954 Sonny was united in marriage to Leona Goplin in the Hettinger Lutheran Church. To this union, three children were born, Pamela, Kim and Scott. He continued farming in the area, until he lost his battle with cancer. He will be truly missed by all of his family and friends.

Sonny was a member of the Eagles, American Legion, Hettinger Rod and Gun Club and the Hettinger Country Club. He enjoyed shooting pool, golfing, trap-shooting and playing cards, especially pinochle with his brothers. Sonny's true joy in life was farming.


Grateful for having shared his life are his daughter, Pamela and her son Jeremy Hall, of Hettinger and her daughter, Alexis (Brandon) Rossell and her daughter, Hannah Hall, all of Aurora, CO; daughter, Kim and daughter Erin Melling, of Hettinger, ND; son, Scott and his sons, John and Michael Melling, all of Lodgepole, SD; Sonny's special friend, Ada Jean Cornella, of Hettinger; his brothers, James (June) Melling and Donald (Emma) Melling, all of Hettinger, sisters; Helen Kunze, of Des Plains, IL, Adeline (Rudy) Zimmerman, of Boise, ID and Irlene Ecker, of Hettinger, ND; numerous nieces, nephews and other family members. Preceding Sonny in death were his parents, Peter and Bertha, his wife, Leona, brothers, Mel and Butch and sister, Pearl.