Melvin Raymond Karjala, 90, of Menahga died Friday, Dec. 21, 2007 at Golden Living Center in Henning.
He was born April 5, 1917 to Sivert and Hilma (Niska) Karjala in Becker County. He farmed with his parents in Paddock Township.
He entered the US Army in 1941 and served in the European Theater of World War II. He received the European African Medal, Middle Eastern Service Medal, the American De-fense Service Medal, four overseas service bars and two days lost under AW107. He also received the Good Conduct Medal in 1944.
He was honorably dis-charged in 1945 and re-turned to the farm. He at-tended the Agriculture School given under the GI Bill. He then farmed south of Menahga. In the early '50s, he helped build a home for his parents then began working various construc-tion jobs. He later moved to Point Barrow, AK and worked for the US Navy. He returned to Minnesota and worked in construction.
He is survived by two sis-ters, Vinette Wenzel of Fair-banks, AK and Helen Gerli-cher of Portland, OR; 16 nieces, 15 nephews and numbers grandnieces and grandnephews.
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He was preceded in death by five brothers, two sisters, one niece and three neph-ews.
Funeral: Wednesday, Dec. 26 at Wevley Funeral Chapel in Sebeka with Lila Mar-jama officiating.
Honorary casketbearers: His nieces and nephews.
Active casketbearers: Jim Johnson, Ron, Dale and Gary Parvi, Duane and Larry Karjala.
Interment: Menahga City Cemetery.
Military honors were pro-vided by Guy L. McDermeit VFW Post 6206 of Menahga.
