Melford Grundyson, age 90, of McIntosh, MN, passed away on Monday, June 22nd, at Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids, MN. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 29th, at Mount Carmel Free Lutheran Church in McIntosh with the Rev. Jerry Moan officiating. Interment will be in Sandhill Cemetery, rural Winger, MN. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of McIntosh and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

Melford Stanley Grundyson was born on February 10, 1936 to Olaf and Amelia “Molly” (Ekre) Grundyson on the Grundyson farm south of McIntosh on a cold 40 below zero day. He was lucky enough to be born on his mother’s birthday. Melford was baptized in the Sand Hill Church in Sletten Township and confirmed in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh.

Melford attended country school at Lone Tree School, District 177 in Sletten Township until the seventh grade. He then transferred to McIntosh High School and graduated in 1953.

When Melford was 7 years old his mother, Molly, passed away. Two years later, after an ad was placed in the Farmer Magazine, his father Olaf hired a woman named Hannah Johnson to help with the housework and care for his 3 children. Olaf and Hannah eventually married.

After graduating from high school, Melford worked in and near Rudyard, Montana as a farm hand. He loved this time, working in the fields but also making lifelong friends. He entered the Minnesota Army National Guard in 1958, transferred to the Montana Army National Guard in 1959 and then transferred to the Army Reserves in 1962. He was officially discharged from the Army Reserves in 1964.

Melford was united in marriage to Delores Rud on December 2, 1961 at the parsonage of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh. They had two children, Melanie and Perry.

Melford worked at the McIntosh Creamery for many years in the 1960’s. He told many stories about making butter and buttermilk with the big tanks of milk the local farmers would provide. He also was McIntosh’s “milkman” making household deliveries of milk, ice cream and other products. He still has the freezer that sat in the back of his milk truck, because as many of you know, Melford never threw anything away!

He later went to work for Harold Thompson at Abrahamson Hardware where he worked until 1977. He then became self - employed and continued working with plumbing, heating, and carpentry. For many, many years he served as the local handyman for the residents of McIntosh. The phone would often ring in the middle of a sub-zero winters’ night. It would be someone calling saying their furnace wasn't working and they didn't have heat in the house. He would head out into the cold to go fix the problem because it was important to him that his friends and neighbors were taken care of and being kept warm.

He had to cut back to working part-time when his wife, Delores, was diagnosed with M.S. in 1992. He selflessly cared for her for many years in their home before it became necessary that she be moved to a nursing home.

A very skilled tradesman, Melford was always building or fixing something. He also loved his little “hobby farm” on the south end of McIntosh raising a few cattle and a couple horses back when the town allowed this. He also grew winter wheat and we can't forget his famous sweet corn that was sold in area grocery stores, out of the trunk of the car or back of the pickup.

Pulling an antique plow or corn planter behind one of his many old tractors was what he loved doing most. He was certainly a farm boy at heart!

Melford also loved to cook and bake! Every Thanksgiving or Christmas he would make oodles of lefse, flatbread, rosettes, and other Norwegian treats. And we can't forget the rommegrot or lutefisk! That was all just a normal part of his holiday cooking. The rest of the year there was always a goodie of some sort in the oven or sitting on the counter just waiting to be eaten. He was especially famous for his pies. He would often order buckets of pecans from South Carolina for his delicious Pecan Pies, but a good apple or rhubarb meringue was often made as well! If you ever just dropped in for an unannounced visit, which the older generations always did, you certainly would not leave hungry!

Melford was proud of his Norwegian heritage, often talking about growing up in a house where they only spoke Norwegian when he was a young boy. He never lost his Norwegian “brogue” and it would especially be noticeable when something exciting was going on. He and Delores had planned on traveling to Norway before Delores’ diagnosis of M.S. The trip never came to fruition for them since the MS progressed faster than they anticipated. In 2010, Melford did have the opportunity to travel to Norway with Melanie and her husband Mark. Since Delores wasn't able to take this trip, the plan was for her to follow along with photos and videos she could watch on the computer. Sadly, she passed away 2 months before the trip would take place. On this adventure, Melford, Melanie, and Mark were able to visit with relatives we had been in contact with, see family landmarks, and learn more about their Norwegian heritage. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime trip for him because after it was all over with, Melford said he would never get on another plane!

Melford lived nearly his entire life in McIntosh. He belonged to Mt. Carmel Free Lutheran Church and often talked about being a charter member and that soon he would be the only one that could claim that honor. In 2022, due to failing health, he moved to the Sauk Rapids, MN area to be closer to his daughter.

Melford was preceded in death by his parents and stepmother, his wife Delores, his son Perry, sister Harriet Hudrlik, brother Orvin Grundyson, and niece Lisa Tendick.

Left to mourn his passing are his daughter Melanie (Mark) Olinger of Sauk Rapids; Granddaughter Melissa (Jon) Skaalerud also of Sauk Rapids, two Great-Grandchildren Scarlett and Stellan Skaalerud, daughter-in-law Renee Sonnenberg of Vergas, brother-in-law Erwin Rud of Fosston, one nephew, David Hudrlik of Texas, one niece, Catie Morley of Florida, several cousins and other extended relatives. Also two very special people in Melford's heart were Nancy Hegland and Wes Trulsen, both of Fosston.