Loretta Melarvie

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February 21, 1936, was most remarkable for the birth of Loretta Melarvie to Matt and Katherine Senger, the sixth child of seven, the youngest, Jimmy preceding all in entering the Kingdom of Heaven at age eight during the influenza epidemic of 1957. Matt Senger emigrated from Odessa Russia in 1917, moving to 310 S. Tenth St., where he began his family, marrying Katherine Nolz in 1921. Loretta’s four older brothers; Eugene, Leo, Pius and Don Senger all served honorably in the Army and Airforce, representing our great country in WWII, Korea and the cold war. Loretta’s older sister, Anne, joined her younger brother at the young age of 45, after which the remaining five siblings remained incredibly close, the very definition of “family” all the remaining days of their lives.

On July 2, 1960, Loretta married Joel D. Melarvie. She was a loving mother of two, enjoyed spending time with her extended family and friends and was a renown medical transcriptionist in command of 80 words a minute at the Neuropsychiatric Institute in Fargo.

Our mother has been an inspiration to us in the life she lived of selflessness and care for others, ahead of herself, in her tireless pursuit of her own imitation of Christ. It is with great joy that Erin and I can say that our mother has left this world following a brief illness for that far, far better place where on the 23 of August at 11:32 a.m. she beheld the Face of God, with us by her side.

Loretta  is survived by her children, Shaun (Susan) Melarvie, Erin (Dean) Heitzman, and the loving nephews and nieces: Eugene Senger, Stephanie (James) Reidy, Pat (Ron) Bainton, Heidi (Laura Silbernagel) Senger and Aimee (Mark) Kemmet and James (Pam) Reidy.

She was preceded in Life Everlasting by her parents and siblings.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 26 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck.

Burial will be held at St. Mary's Cemetery, Bismarck.