Bennie Oliver Melland

Bennie Oliver Melland, 88, Northwood, ND, died Sunday, May 7, 2006 at Northwood Deaconess Health Center.

Bennie was born April 2, 1918 to Wally O. and Inga (Iverson) Melland at Derrick, ND. He grew up and attended school in Fairdale, ND. He served in WWII as a sergeant with the Army Air Corps overseas (European theater) from 1941 to 1945.

He married Mary Jane Adams on June 19, 1946 in Fairdale, ND. He worked various jobs until becoming chief of police at Edmore, ND in 1949. He was appointed District Game Warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in 1953, serving in Medina, ND and later Jamestown, ND. He retired in 1975. He then worked as a field representative for the North Dakota State Hospital until he retired in 1983.

In 1992, Bennie and Jane lived near Fairdale, moving to Langdon in 1997. He entered the Good Samaritan Center in Osnabrock, ND in December of 2004. He moved to Northwood in April 2006.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, Clifford (Linda) Melland, Fairdale, ND, Bruce (Dawn) Melland, Caldwell, ID, one daughter, Ruth (Thomas) Coughlin, Fargo, ND, two sisters, Ilene (Orlon) Schanz of Langdon, ND, Annie Skytland of Langdon, ND, two brothers, Walter (Mae) Melland of Grand Forks, ND, Gilmer (Rene) Melland of Kenmare, ND; one sister-in-law, Lois Melland of Fairdale, ND, 8 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren.

Memorial Service: Saturday May 13, 2006 at 2:00pm at Our Redeemers Lutheran Church of Fairdale, ND.