Charlotte Mellom

Charlotte Kathryn Mellom, age 80, of Willmar, died Thursday evening, Oct. 23, at her residence in Willmar. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Vinje Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Memorials are preferred to Rice Hospice or Vinje Lutheran Church Building Fund. Arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.

Charlotte was born on January 22, 1928, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Ignus and Gina (Sylling) Blegen. She grew up in Minneapolis, graduated from Washburn High School, Minneapolis Business College and then enrolled at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While attending Luther College, she sang in the Nordic Cathedral Choir under the direction of Dr. Sigvard Steen and Weston Noble. On Sept. 3, 1948, in Minneapolis, Charlotte was united in marriage to Sherwood "Bud" O. Mellom. They lived in Willmar where she was employed at Burlington Northern Railroad as an accounting clerk for 30 years, retiring in 1988. Charlotte sang in the Vinje Church choir for 25 years and was active with Vinje's Esther circle. She was a past president of Lincoln School P.T.A., member of the Little Crow ladies golf league, Cosmopolitan study club, United Way board member, active with the D.F.L. Party, member of several bridge card clubs and volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels. She was proud of her Norwegian heritage.

She is survived by her husband, Bud of Willmar; one son, Sherwood Mellom Jr. (and Kristel Hart) of Willmar; three daughters, Kathryn (and John) Williams of Hudson, Wisconsin, Cynthia (and Stacey) Porter of Willmar and Kristen (and Terry) Tone of New London; eight grandchildren and one great grandchild. Also surviving is one brother, Edward (and Marilyn) Blegen of Bloomington, besides other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Dorothy Larson; and two brothers, John and Robert Blegen.