Melva L. Marolf

Visitation for Melva will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 31 from 9 am until 10 am, her service will follow at 10 am. Her final resting place will be next to her beloved husband in Davenport Memorial Park. Memorials may be designated to Trinity Lutheran Church or School, or to Lutheran Living Communities, Davenport location.

Melva Lu Kardel (Mel) was born on June 26, 1930, in Hickory Grove Township to Robert and Elsie (Jens) Kardel. In June of 1946 she was baptized and confirmed a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Davenport. She was a 1948 graduate of Davenport High School. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and then began working for the law firm of Lambach, Kopf, and Berger.

She married Leo A. Marolf on August 30, 1953, and moved to Champaign, Illinois. She was employed in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Illinois where her husband Leo enrolled as an architectural student. Upon his graduation, Leo was awarded the Ryerson Traveling Fellowship in Architecture and in 1958, they traveled with their two-year old son, Todd, to Europe. Upon their return, they established their home in Davenport and three daughters were born to them, Rebecca, Mary, and Anne.

Mel’s priorities were her Lord, her husband, and her family. She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she served by volunteering where needed at the church or school, sewing and quilting, serving on the altar guild, and helping with funeral lunches.

After Leo retired, they traveled in their Airstream to all parts of the United States and across Canada.

Those left to cherish her memory include her son Todd (Kelli) Marolf of Prescott, AZ; and daughters Rebecca (Dave) Knudson of Ames, IA; Dr. Mary (Jason) Frost of Davenport, IA; and Anne Marolf of Davenport, IA.; eleven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 70 years, Leo; sister Loretta (Harold) Paulsen; brother Harlan (Lucille) Kardel; Clemens Kardel, a brother who died in infancy; and her grandson Jonathon Marolf.

The family would like to thank all the staff at the Davenport Lutheran Living Communities and St. Croix Hospice for their tender and loving care of Mel.

Ich Liebe Dich!