Gorden Dale Melcher
Gorden Dale Melcher, 87, of Moses Lake, Wash., went to be with his Savior on March 14, 2025. He was born Feb. 21, 1938, in Odessa, Wash., to Carl Melcher and Yetta Greenwalt Melcher.
He was raised on his family’s wheat farm and attended school in Ritzville, Wash., graduating in 1957. A few years after graduation, Gorden joined the United States Army and served overseas on a base in Germany. He spent his leave time traveling around Europe.
After his military service, he returned to the family farm that he loved. On May 9, 1964, Gorden married Alice Marlene Sauer, and they enjoyed 60 years of marriage together. They welcomed their first son, Jeffrey, in 1966 and their second son, Rodney, in 1968.
In addition to growing dryland winter wheat, Gorden kept himself busy raising and butchering cattle, and making sausage. He also had a side business installing and repairing air conditioning systems in tractors for about 20 years. Gorden served as a volunteer fire fighter and fire commissioner with the Odessa Volunteer Fire Department for many years.
Gorden was a lifelong Christian and a founding member of Zion-Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Odessa, Wash. He assisted in the construction of the building and served in various roles throughout the years, including some time as president of the congregation, being on the board of stewardship and serving as an usher. He enjoyed having both of his children and their families all sitting together in church on Sundays.
Gorden was a proud member of the Future Farmers of America while in school and was even more proud when his sons and his three surviving grandchildren all participated in FFA during their high school years as well, with his grandchildren all earning state awards and his granddaughter going to nationals twice.
Gorden retired and moved to Moses Lake in 1997. He took great pride in keeping his lawn perfectly trimmed and insisted on having straight lines in his grass like he’d had straight furrows in his fields. During his retirement years, he enjoyed meeting with coffee buddies at McDonald’s or Burger King. His grandchildren remember his love of licorice and ice cream.
Gorden and his wife enjoyed traveling and visited many interesting places including Hawaii, China, Mexico, the Caribbean, England, Australia, the Philippine Islands, Alaska, and Germany. During their trip to Germany, they visited places Gorden had been 50 years earlier while stationed there during his time in the Army.
Gorden was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Yetta Melcher and his beloved grandson Cole Melcher.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Melcher; his sons, Jeffrey (Heather) Melcher and Rodney (Jani) Melcher and his grandchildren, Nathan, Alexis and John. He is also survived by his sister, Alice (Gilbert) Kanzler, three nieces and their families.
A funeral service will be held at Zion-Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Odessa, Wash., on March 22, 2025, at 11 a.m. with a meal to follow.
Memorial contributions may be made to Zion-Emmanuel Lutheran Church or the Odessa Volunteer Fire Department.
Danekas Funeral Home, Ritzville, Wash., is in charge of funeral arrangements.
