Melvin G. Happel, 20 Sept 1929 - 25 Dec 2017

HAPPEL, BOETTCHER, BRAKSIEK, PRATHER, FURLER, SCHAFBUCH, QUINN

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 3/11/2018 at 17:36:50

Funeral service for Melvin G. Happel, 88, Victor, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at St. James Lutheran Church, Victor. He died Monday, Dec. 25, 2017, at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, due to injuries sustained in a car accident.

Pastor Michael Kolesar will officiate at the service. Organist will be Pam Cronbaugh.

Burial will be in the Victor Memorial Cemetery. Pallbearers will beChris Furler, Greg and Shawn Prather, Tyler Happel and Tawny and Sean Schafbuch.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, at the funeral home with the family present from 4 to 7 p.m.

Memorials may be directed to St. James Lutheran Church, Victor, or the HLV Booster Club.

Smith Funeral Home, Victor, is in charge of arrangements.

Melvin G. Happel was born on Sept. 20, 1929, to Paul Happel and Emma (Boettcher) Happel. He graduated from Van Horne High School in 1946. Shortly after he was employed by Van Horne Savings Bank. He worked there until 1960 when he accepted the position of bank president at Farmers Savings Bank, Victor, a position he held until the time of his death. He worked in banking for 72 years.

He married Maxine Braksiek on Dec. 13, 1952, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Keystone. He often referred to this day as the “greatest day of his life.” This year the couple celebrated their 65th anniversary.

From 1948 to 1954 Mel was a member of the Army Reserves. He was a member of St. James Lutheran Church, Victor, where he was the chairman of the congregation for several years.

He was always known for being an avid sports fan. One of the many joys of his life was watching his children and grandchildren participate in athletics. No matter where the events were held, Mel would be there. Baseball was his favorite sport and he made many contributions to it. For 27 years, he was a high school and college umpire. He was so well respected that he was inducted into the Iowa High School Baseball Hall of Fame. It was an accolade that he took great pride in. He also coached several years of Little League and Pony League Baseball at HLV. He was also a die-hard fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, New York Giants, and his beloved New York Yankees.

Family was always most important in Mel’s life. He never missed an opportunity to tell everyone how much he loved them, and always found time to tell everyone how proud he was of them. He took pride in many things, but nothing more than the joy that his family brought him. Every member of the family meant the world to him, and he meant the world to his family.

Happel is survived by his loving wife, Maxine; daughters Carol (David) Prather, and Cindy Happel, both of Victor, and Gary Happel, Ladora; five grandchildren, Chris (Amber) Furler, Greg and Shawn Prather, Tyler (Samantha) Happel, and Tawny (Sean) Schafbuch, and six great grandchildren, Lincoln, Landon and Pierson Furler, and Malcolm, Quinn, and Colin Happel.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Robert, and sister, Marie.

The Journal Tribune 03 Jan 2018
The Gazette, 28 Dec 2017 7a
Smith Funeral Home, Victor Iowa