Obit: Davis, Melvin L. (1926 - 2013)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Davis, Korntved, Fredrich, Janke

----Source: Tribune/Record/Gleaner (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 23 Oct 2013

Davis, Melvin L. (7 FEB 1926 - 31 OCT 2013)

Melvin L. Davis, 87, Rhinelander, died on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 8, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rhinelander.

Melvin Davis was born on Feb. 7, 1926, in Unity, to Marion and Golda (nee Korntved) Davis. He attended grade school in the 1-room school house at Romeo, and graduated from Unity High School in 1944 as salutatorian of his class. He was drafted in 1944 and
went to the Philippines as part of an Army field artillery unit. He worked at the Rhinelander paper mill for 36 years. He married Adeline Janke Fredrich in 1947 and they were married for 59 years. Mel was a long-time member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. He sang in the church choir for 64 years. He was an eighth cousin of Abraham Lincoln. His father's mother died giving birth to his father. His parents, named Davis, took the baby home and gave him the name of Davis. Mel became a Davis instead of his birth name -- Lincoln. He was very proud of the family connection to Abraham Lincoln.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Adeline; and an infant son, Jeffrey.