Clare Ann (Melcher) Vande Velde

CLARE ANN (MELCHER) VANDE VELDE, age 81, of Kenneth, died Thursday, May 30, 2019, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage. She was born at home in a blizzard on March 31, 1938 in Woodstock. She was the daughter of Fred and Laura (Feyereisen) Melcher. Clare attended grade school in Woodstock and graduated from Pipestone High School in 1956, and attended Mankato State University.

After her employment of five years at Prudential Ins., in Minneapolis, Clare returned to Kenneth and married Charles Vande Velde at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Woodstock on May 20, 1961. They were the parents of four children, Susan, Monica, Greg and Paul. She worked at the State Bank of Kenneth for more than thirty years where she was Vice President. After retirement, she worked at part-time jobs for the Kenneth Post Office and as a card rep for Hallmark Card Co., and at the I90 Visitor Center.

She was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Lismore for fifty years where she was a past officer of CCW. Currently she was a member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Luverne. Because of her interest in music, she was a member of Jasper Blowhards Community Band and the New Horizon Band of Sioux Falls, SD. She was a charter member of the Rock Co. friend of the Library and served as and it’s first secretary. She was also a board member of the Rock Co. Library. The Rock Co. Historical Society was another of her main interests. Her hobbies were reading, traveling, and making her homemade Clare’s Cheepo Card Co. greeting cards for friends and family.

Clare is survived by her four children, Susan (Brad) Skattum, Luverne; Monica (Jerry Crevier) Cross, Lennox, SD; Greg (Connie) Vande Velde, Luverne; and Paul (Amy) Vande Velde, Lead, SD; nine grandchildren, Tanner (Haley) Skattum, Dylan Skattum, Chelsie Aanenson, Isaac (Stephany) Aanenson, Elliot (friend, Seanna Farrow) Aanenson, Allyson (Nick) Van Belle, Taylor Vande Velde, Wyatt Vande Velde and Walker Vande Velde; three great-grandchildren, Aubrey and Brecken Van Belle and Charles Aanenson; one brother, Al Melcher, Minneapolis; a sister-in-law, Mary Ann Melcher, Minneapolis; nieces and nephew and many good friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Charles on September 3, 2006; two sisters, Frances Reed and Rosemary Pedersen; and a brother, Norman Melcher.

   Visitation will be from 5-8 pm Monday, with parish prayers at 7:30 pm, at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. Visitation also one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 am Tuesday at St. Catherine Catholic Church, in Luverne, officiated by Fr. Gerald Kosse. Burial will be 4 pm Tuesday at the Kenneth Cemetery.

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