Melvin L. Moser

1/30/1924 — 3/6/2017

Service Date: 3/10/2017
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Melvin L. Moser, 93, formerly of Genesee, passed on Monday, March 6, 2017, at Tri-State Memorial Hospital in Clarkston.

Mel was born Jan. 30, 1924, to Henry and Rose (Kueber) Moser in Killam, Alberta, Canada. He was the middle child of five children. The family farmed in Killam until 1937, when they moved to the United States and made their home in Colton. Two years later they moved to Moscow, where Mel became so sick that he missed six weeks of school. Rather than return to school that year, he went to work for a farmer in Colton/Uniontown and returned to school in Colton in the fall of 1941. He moved in with his uncle A.T. "Fizzle" Moser in Colton and lived there throughout his high school years. He enjoyed playing football and became a bus driver at age 16 because of a shortage of men, due to the war.

Mel graduated from Colton High School in 1943 and was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force that October. He was assigned to bombardier training and was sent to several flight schools throughout the United States. Graduating near the top of his class, Mel was selected to attend bomber radar training in Boca Raton, Fla., where he trained in the B-17 "Flying Fortress" until the war ended in 1945. Mel was honorably discharged as a second lieutenant on Feb. 13, 1946. Upon returning home, he farmed with family and worked construction before being hired as a night shift manager at the soon-to-be-open Potlatch Forests Inc. (now Clearwater Paper) in Lewiston. He worked there until 1952.

On Nov. 15, 1952, Mel married Betty Jo Weber, and they made their home in Moscow, where he returned to farming. In 1959, Mel and Jo purchased what was to become the "family farm" in Genesee. There, they farmed together for the next 30-plus years while raising their seven children - three boys (Chris, Doug, Ron) and four girls (Molly, Mary Beth, Pat, Cheri). Mel had a love for animals as well. He always had horses, cows, pigs, dogs, cats and chickens around. In Mel's later years, he often reminisced about his first dog, Happy, and his last dog, a German shepherd named General.

Mel was active professionally throughout his life. He served on the board of directors for Genesee Union Warehouse (now PNW Farmers Cooperative) in Genesee, the Production Credit Association (PCA) in Lewiston, the Inland Empire Pea Growers and the Federal Land Bank, both in Spokane. He was well respected among his peers as he fought for the rights of farmers; something that he was very passionate about. Mel also was a member of the American Legion Post 58 in Genesee.

Mel was active with St. Mary's Catholic Church in Genesee, where he was a Knight of Columbus and served on its board of directors for years. He was one of the founding builders of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Genesee after the previous church burned in a fire in the early 1960s. Mel's Canadian cousins loved the architecture of St. Mary's Catholic Church and got the drawings from him to build one just like it in Canada.

In 1974, Mel and Jo bought a cabin on Coeur d'Alene Lake. There, they enjoyed getaways with friends and family for years and would escape to the lake with family whenever the opportunity presented.

Upon retirement in 1992, Mel and Jo sold the family farm to their son, Doug, and renovated the lake cabin into their home. Mel was well thought of at the lake and again supported his local community by joining the Worley Fire Department as a volunteer. Mel and Jo often entertained family and friends at the lake with morning coffee and afternoon happy hour. They split their time between their Coeur d'Alene Lake home and wintering in Yuma, Ariz., where they enjoyed golfing, cards and sports. Upon losing Jo in 1998, Mel remained at their lake home until Sept. 28, 2012.

Mel then settled into Evergreen Estates retirement home in Clarkston, where he could be closer to family and enjoy the milder climate of the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. In August 2016, he made his final move to Guardian Angel Homes in Lewiston.

The family would like to thank all those who took such amazing care of him at Evergreen and Guardian Angel. He was very happy and content to be a part of those wonderful communities. Also, a very special thank you to Denise Lowe for the love and care she gave to Mel from August 2016 until his passing.

Mel is survived by children Chris Moser, Molly Vestal, Mary Beth Cronyn, Patricia Moser, Cheri Hermann, Doug Moser and Ron Moser. Mel and Jo have 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mel was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jo (Weber) Moser; parents Henry and Rose; sister Dorothy Semler; and brother Durward. Mel also is survived by sisters Marlene Bieren of Lewiston and Arlee Lakin of Ridgecrest, Calif.

The rosary will be recited at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Genesee, followed by a Catholic funeral Mass to celebrate Mel's life, with the Rev. Joseph Schmidt officiating. Burial will follow at Moscow City Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest beside his wife, Jo. A reception celebrating Mel's life will follow at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Moscow.

The family suggests memorials be made to Genesee's St. Mary's Endowment Fund.

Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston is in charge of the arrangements.

Service Information

Date & Time: Friday, March 10, 10:30 AM
Location: St. Mary's Catholic Church
138 N. Jackson Street
Genesee , Idaho 83832

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Additional Details: Rosary will be recited at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow Mass at Moscow Cemetery and reception will take place at St. Mary's Catholic Church Social Hall in Moscow.