Gerald "Jerry" Melby

Memorial services for Gerald “Jerry” Melby of Starbuck, MN, formerly of Buffalo, MN, will be a private family service.  Visitation will be Thursday, November 5, 2020 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Starbuck Funeral Home in Starbuck.  Burial will be at Salem Cemetery in Fargo, ND at a later date.

There will be a live stream of Jerry’s service starting at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020. To view the service on the Starbuck Funeral Home website, scroll to the bottom of Jerry’s page and clink on the link.

While maintaining social distancing guidelines, we are now able to accommodate gatherings of up to 250 people. The use of face masks by attendees is required, and we will continue taking the necessary steps to keep our facility clean. For those who prefer or require continued precautions, webcasting and/or livestreaming is available in most situations.

Gerald Keith Melby was born December 23, 1943 to Edwin and Clariece (Wester) Melby, in Fargo, ND.  He graduated from Moorhead State Campus School in 1962.  He entered the Army Reserves and returned to Minnesota in May of 1963.  He graduated from Moorhead State College in 1967. Jerry taught two years in Frazee, MN and in 1971, began teaching at Buffalo High School until his retirement in 2001.

On March 20, 1965, he married Cheryl Czichotzki.  They spent their life together raising their son, enjoying their granddaughters, friends and community. After retirement, they moved to Lake Minnewaska where they enjoyed summers in Minnesota and winters in Arizona.

Jerry believed in contributing to his community.  He was a joiner – too many to mention! In Starbuck he was involved in Habitat for Humanity, Starbuck Lions, Minnewaska Lake Association, Ducks Unlimited and the V.F.W. Men’s Auxiliary. He was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan and enjoyed wearing his Vikings shirt to church on game days.  He also enjoyed hunting, especially deer hunting, which he passed is love of onto his son Jeff and his friends.

Jerry died peacefully on Saturday, October 31, 2020 at the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck.  He was 76 years old.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl of Starbuck; daughter-in-law: Charla Melby of Shorewood; granddaughters: Jordan and Dylan Melby of St. Paul; sisters-in-law: Darline Sunblad of Fargo, Judy Toivonen of Starbuck and Adele Czichotzki of Fallon, Nevada; brother-in-law: Mark (LaVerne) Czichotzki of Audubon and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his son, Jeff; his parents; brother: Russell (Doris) Melby; sisters: Shirley Hegland and Marlene (Allen) Bekkerus; brothers-in-law: Fred Sundblad, Don (Marilyn)  Forness, Wayne (Jolene) Czichotzki and Roy Toivonen ; nephew: Michael Czichotzki and niece: Susie Bekkerus.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS THE FAMILY PREFERS MEMORIALS TO THE BUFFALO HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP FUND.

Starbuck Funeral Home in Starbuck is in charge of the arrangements.