Melvin G. Davis

Melvin George Davis passed away peacefully with family by his side Tuesday, August 1, 2017at a South Sioux city Care Center.  Services will be 10:00A.M. Monday at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Rev. Jose Miranda officiating. Burial with military graveside service will be in the Dakota City Cemetery. Visitation at Becker – Hunt Funeral Home will be from 4 to 8 P.M. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7 P.M. flowed by a Masonic Service.  Melvin George Davis was born on Sept 17, 1928 in Lyons, NE to Thomas George and Eva Irene (Beaudette) Davis. He was a longtime member of St Paul United Methodist Church in South Sioux City.  Melvin spent his first 17 years on a farm northeast of Lyons, NE and was a 1946 graduate of Lyons High School. Melvin enlisted in the US Army Air Corp in 1946. He was trained as an airplane and engine mechanic in Biloxi, MS and was then stationed in Rapid City, SD. He was deployed to Guam and received additional training in airplane electronics before he was honorably discharged in 1949. Melvin returned to the area after his discharge. He met JoAnn Carole Young at the skating rink in Fremont, NE. They were married in July of 1951 and were blessed with three children; Gene, Jackie and Jon. After spending several years in Fremont the family relocated to South Sioux City in 1960. Melvin was employed by Sioux City Motor Express, Goodyear Tire Company and American Cyanamid during their first years there. In 1970 he began his career as a commercial transport claims adjustor for Great West Casualty Insurance Company. He retired in 1994 after 24 years with the company.  Melvin was a charter member of the South Sioux City Jaycees and the Dolphin Swim Club. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the American Legion, Order of Eastern Star and was a Master Mason of the Omadi Masonic Lodge. He served in many offices in his church, most notably as the Keeper of the Flame. Melvin took great pride in being a member of the honor guard of the American Legion at the funerals of many veterans.  Melvin loved camping and tinkering with cars and other projects in his garage. Music always had a prominent place in the family. JoAnn was an accomplished singer and sang in the church choir and with many other choral groups in the Siouxland area. Melvin also loved to sing and performed for more than 26 years in the Siouxland Barbershop Chorus. He and JoAnn traveled to many national and international Barbershop competitions throughout North America.  Melvin and JoAnn spent 10 happy years in retirement in South Sioux City, making many trips to see family and friends and welcoming those same folks into their home. In December 2004 his beloved wife JoAnn passed away after battling cancer. With much sadness Melvin continued to live quietly in South Sioux City. Later on in those years Illa Hobbs came into his life and became part of our family.  Melvin was injured at his home in 2014 and after his hospitalization he became a resident at the Regency Square care facility. He was often visited by family and friends and lived there peacefully until his death. Melvin was preceded in death by his beloved wife JoAnn Davis. He is survived by sister Doris Maslonka of Arvada, CO; sister Janet Hamamoto and her husband Marshall of Arvada, CO; son Gene and his wife JoAnn Stransky of Lincoln, NE; daughter Jackie Moeller and her husband Brian of Fremont, NE, and their children Jared Moeller and Kaitlyn McCroskey and her husband Chad; son Jon of South Sioux City, NE, Patty Craghead and their son Alan Craghead Davis; sister-in-law Susan Young of Sioux City, IA; companion Illa Hobbs of Sioux City, IA; and many nephews and nieces around the United States. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be directed to Hospice of Siouxland, American Legion Post 307 in South Sioux City and St Paul United Methodist Church in South Sioux City.