Melvina Wichert

Melvina Esther Wichert, 90, of Mount Vernon, Missouri (formerly of Hooker, Oklahoma) died at 7:05 a.m. Dec. 9, 2016, at Lawrence County Manor, Mount Vernon. She was born April 28, 1926, to Henry and Esther (Wiebe) Hamm, at their home in the Adams community.

Melvina spent her early childhood on the family farm. Her parents moved to Kremlin, Oklahoma in 1937 due to health complications from the dust for her dad and brother, Hank. In 1941 her parents moved back to the Adams community where she graduated from Adams High School in 1944. The boys in her class got drafted so the five girls graduated. Melvina then attended Tabor College where she received her AA Degree. She taught Grades 5-8 in a rural one-room school in Meade County for two years.

She married Clifford Lee Wichert on February 6, 1949 in the Hooker Mennonite Brethren Church. They made their home southeast of Adams where their three children were born. In 1963, they built a home three miles north of Adams and lived there until August, 2007, when Melvina moved to Hooker. Then in February 2016 she moved to Mt. Vernon, MO. Melvina helped Cliff farm and ranch plus run the dairy in the early ‘50’s. She was a homemaker and loved to bake, especially brown bread, cookies and cinnamon rolls.

When Melvina was 14 years old she accepted Jesus as her Savior, was baptized at 15 and joined the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church. She said many times that “Salvation was the best thing that ever happened to me”. She and Cliff were charter members of the Gospel of Grace Church in Hooker. A meaningful part of their lives was hosting missionary families from around the world. Correspondence was continued through the years by letters and emails. She loved to study the Bible and memorized much Scripture. Melvina loved to read throughout her life. The Bible was her favorite daily reading but she also loved history, current events and biographies of all sorts. It was Melvina’s desire to see others have a relationship with Jesus. Many times at the Doctor’s office, restaurant, or anyone she was sitting with, the topic of their relationship with Christ came up in the conversation.

She was active in the Ladies Missionary Fellowship, the Adams Homemakers Club, Crochet club, and always enjoyed teaching, whether it was rural school, Sunday School, Awana, or VBS. She loved writing plays for church Christmas programs, writing women’s devotionals, writing her family history and just writing to friends and family. She enjoyed singing, playing piano, and visiting.

Cliff and Melvina enjoyed their trips to Israel, Egypt, Paraguay South America, and with Eloise to the Ukraine. In South America they visited mission stations among the Chaco. Melvina very much enjoyed visiting the villages of her great-great grandparents, as well as great grandparents in the Ukraine in 2006. In recent years Melvina was made aware of the persecution of the church around the world. She became an avid supporter and prayer warrior of Voice of the Martyrs in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Melvina was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford, February 24, 1997, son, Gailen, March 3, 1967, and brother, H. Lavern Hamm, May 6, 1996. Survivors include: Eloise and her husband Ken Hawkins of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, and Shari and her husband Greg Lynch of Hooker, six grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, 3 great- great grandchildren, a sister, Lorena and her husband Levi of Liberal, Kansas, a brother, Willis Hamm and wife Joann of Lakewood, Colorado, sister-in-law Ruby Hamm of Wichita, Kansas, and many relatives and friends.

Melvina’s written words to pass on to others at her passing are:

“I’m planning a big family reunion in heaven. I’m expecting each one of you!”

Services will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 17, 2016, at the Gospel of Grace Church, Hooker, Oklahoma with Rev. Ken Hawkins officiating. Interment will be in the Hooker Cemetery under the direction of the Roberts Brothers Funeral Home.

Memorials may be given to Voice of the Martyrs and left at Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma 73945.

Condolences may be left at www.robertsbrothersfuneralhome.com