Melvin L.  Schwartz, 80, of Tripoli, died Saturday, August 13, 2016, at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota.

Funeral Services will be held at Faith United Church of Christ in Tripoli on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Scott Duffus officiating. Interment will follow at Faith U.C.C. Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday August 16, 2016, at Rettig Funeral Home in Tripoli and for one hour preceding services on Wednesday at the church.    

Melvin Louis, son of Lawrence and Valeria (Bravener) Schwartz was born January 15, 1936 at the family home in rural Chickasaw County. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Evangelical and Reformed Church in Tripoli. Melvin received his education in the Tripoli Schools graduating from Tripoli High School in 1955. He joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve while a Junior in high school. On June 1, 1957 he was united in marriage with Betty O’Connell in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The couple lived in Waterloo for a couple of years and while there Melvin worked at Rath Packing for a brief time, before the couple moved to a farm southeast of Tripoli and farmed there for over forty years. They raised dairy cattle, beef cattle, hogs, and also farmed grain for many years. Melvin was a long time member of Faith United Church of Christ in Tripoli and was active in the church council. He was an active member of the Bremer County Farm Bureau where he served as President. Melvin also was a member of the Iowa Pork Producers. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, playing cards with his card club, morning coffee with his coffee group most recently at the Welcome Center, but most especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

Melvin is survived by his wife, Betty Schwartz of Tripoli; his four children, Becky (John) Holtz of Scottsdale, Arizona, Kevin (Pam) Schwartz of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, Dan (Amy) Schwartz of Hillsboro, Texas, and Jody (Gaylen) Carpenter of Waverly; eight grandchildren, Jessie (Eric) Reindl of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Jordan Schwartz of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, Haley, Hunter, Hannah, and Halaina Holtz all of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Lexus and Cade Carpenter of Waverly; one great-grandson Reindl on the way; and five siblings, Marlys Maschke of Ocean City, Maryland, Sharon Peterson of Anoka, Minnesota, James (Judy) Schwartz of Annapolis, Maryland, Robert Schwartz of Tripoli, and Marilyn (Jerry) Lahmann of Tripoli.

In addition to his parents, Melvin was preceded in death by a son, who died in infancy in 1958.