June 17, 1926 — July 9, 2014

Melvin J. Sattelmaier, 88, of Marcellus, passed away Wednesday, July 9, 2014, at The Timbers of Cass County in Dowagiac.

A gathering of family and friends took place on Friday, July 11, 2014, at Clark Chapel and Cremation Services, Dowagiac. There will be time for a gathering at the South Wayne Bible Church on Saturday, July 12, 2014, from noon until 1 p.m., at which time there will be a Celebration of Life service. Melvin will be laid to rest at the South Wayne Cemetery next to the Church.

Melvin was born June 17, 1926, Flanagan, Illinois to his parents August and Eva (Kanz) Sattelmaier. In January of 1931 the family moved to Michigan on Dewey Lake Street, Decatur and worked as share crop farmers. They worked/lived on four different farms before buying a farm on Griffis Rd. in 1941. This was home until May 1972 when he moved near Wakelee.

Melvin served in the U.S. Army from October 1945 to February 1947 with eight months in Germany. He earned the Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany).

After returning home, he enjoyed going to the local dances on the weekends. He met his bride-to-be Barbara Jean Gorham at a dance at the Wayne Township Hall and they were married Feb. 19, 1949. She passed away March 9, 1959. On Feb. 8, 1963, Melvin married Alice Koopman Reich at the South Wayne Community Church.

It was always a joke that he was born 50 years too late as he had no desire for the newer, more technical things but loved working with horses. He even logged with horses till he was in his eighties. Melvin was also a carpenter but finish work was not his thing.

He was an active member of the N.F.O. during his dairy farm years and later built and operated the N.F.O. hog barn East of Cass.

The surviving family line-up is his wife Alice; his children, Ron (Susan) Sattelmaier of Payson, Arizona, Sylvia (Dan) Kist of Wetmore, MI, Cliff (Dee Dee) Sattelmaier of Marcellus, Michigan, Kandy (Ron) Dixon of Hartford, Michigan, Kurt Reich of Dowagiac, and Nancy (Lane) Preston of Eau Claire, Michigan; a daughter-in-law Carol Reich of Skandia, Michigan; 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; one sister Stella Casey of St. Joseph, Michigan; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Barbara Jean, a son Dr. Alfred Reich, a brother Carl, a sister Theresa Hertz, and one nephew.

Memorials may be made to: Cass County Park Department, 120 N. Broadway, Suite 209, Cassopolis, MI, 49031 and please indicate the donation is in memory of Melvin Sattelmaier. Please take the opportunity to sign his guestbook and share a memory or your condolence at www.clarkch.com.