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Melvin Wiebel
MELVIN WIEBEL
Lowden
Melvin F. "Mel" Wiebel, 92, of Lowden, passed away Wednesday, July 15, 2015, at Wheatland Manor. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 20, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowden with Pastor Daniel Redhage officiating. Burial will follow at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, July 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Chapman Funeral Home in Clarence.
Melvin was born on the family farm north of Lowden on Nov. 15, 1922, the son of Fred H. and Olga (Bunge) Wiebel. He graduated from Lowden High School in 1940. He married Margery Kelting on July 22, 1951, at the UCC church in Wheatland.
Mel played four seasons of professional baseball from 1946 to 1949. He was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church, served as chairman of its board of elders, and as president of the congregation. He also was an active member in the Lowden community for many years, serving as president of the Lowden Commercial Club and president of the Lowden Development Corporation for 18 years. He also served as a member of the Cedar County Extension Council.
Mel was a charter member of the Lowden Lions Club and served as zone chair, region chair, district governor in 1995-96 and as council chairman of District 9x9 of Iowa in 1996-97. He served as a discussion leader at USA-Canada Forum in Milwaukee. He received many awards for his work in Lionism, including Lowden Lions Club president (twice), International Lions Presidential Award – the second-highest award in Lions International – and also the Warren Coleman Honorary award from the Iowa Lions Foundation. He is a Lions International Melvin Jones Fellow.
Mel was an auctioneer for over 40 years, as well as a real estate broker and owner of Mel Wiebel Real Estate Agency. He also is a retired farmer.
Mel is survived by his wife, Margery; daughter, MaryLou (Roger) Jaussi of Novi, Mich.; sons, Kevin (Susan) of Allen, Texas, Kent (Michelle) of Eldridge, David (Dawn) of Cedar Rapids, Dean (Renee) of Van Horne and Glen (Shawna) of Cedar Rapids; 15 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a sister, Carolyn Hanneman of Florissant, Mo.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Camp Courageous of Iowa or Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.
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