LIVESTREAM LINK FOR THE ALVIN W. "BILL" MELTON SERVICE

ALVIN  W.  "BILL"  MELTON , 93, of rural Cherokee, Iowa, passed away Saturday morning, January 8, 2022. He was blessed to be taken care of by family at his home almost until the very end.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 12 ^th , at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Bruce Rapp will officiate. Burial will be in the Afton Township Cemetery, rural Cherokee, Iowa with military rites conducted by L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. and the Cherokee American Legion.  Visitation will be on Tuesday, January 11 ^th , from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com The funeral service will be live streamed on the Boothby Funeral Home website with the assistance of Fuller Digital Solutions.

Bill was born on October 19, 1928 at Cherokee, Iowa to Lester and Louie (Beardshaw) Melton. He attended Cherokee Wilson Schools. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving a short time, receiving an honorable discharge. Bill was married to Frances Tibbetts on November 26, 1950 at Cherokee, Iowa. The couple had eight children.

He farmed most of his life, along with other jobs to raise his family including; driving truck for several companies over the years, doing custom farm work, raising stock cows, was a cattle buyer, operated a fishing guide service out of Fort Pierre, S.D., auto mechanic, and he just loved to tinker with things.

Some of Bill's hobbies were: woodworking, wood carving, playing cards, playing scrabble, having coffee with his friends. He was an avid collector of all things, and he especially loved to go fishing and have wiener roasts with his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Frances on January 17, 1999, a son-in-law Alfred Donahue, a great grandson Carter Van Meeteren, a brother Robert (Verna) Melton,  a sister Audrey (John) Sleezer, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Delbert (Phyllis) Tibbetts, Howard (Birdie) Tibbetts, Melba (Daryl "Bud") Medsker, and Henry "Hank" Otto.

He is survived by his eight children: Sandra Donahue of Aurelia, Iowa; Danny (Donna) Melton of Norwich, Connecticut; Rodney Melton (Julie Utecht) of Aberdeen, South Dakota; Roger (Dawn) Melton of Ponder, Texas; Cindy Phipps of Cherokee, Iowa; Linda (Barry) Hanson of Milford, Iowa; Kevin (Patty) Melton of Cherokee, Iowa; Michele (Brian) Schnoes of Meriden, Iowa; 23 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; his sister: Betty Otto of Holstein, Iowa; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Sheryl (Larry) Carlson of Alta, Iowa; Donald (Shayla) Tibbetts of Peterson, Iowa; also several nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.