Melvin Johan Winjum, 90, passed away January 3, 2024, holding on to see the new year. Mel was full of generosity, tenacity, creativity, ingenuity, and pride for his family. He was delighted to announce to the world that he had fifty-two people in his family, with two new great grandbabies on the way.  Fifty-four of us, imagine that?!

He was born April 7, 1933, in South Dakota, as one of five Winjum brothers and one sister to boot. As a young man, he made his way to California and met his wife, Elizabeth, hanging laundry to dry on the roof of a building. He said it was love at first sight; she added that she'd run and get a laundry basket anytime she saw him headed that way. He and Liz went on to have four daughters: Pam (Mark) Young, Susan (Brad) Sorensen, Carol (Rod) Kuhn, and Linda (Steve) Wickett.

He was a hard worker, and started out selling newspapers at the age of 7 and supporting his family for the next 83 years. He served in the military during the Korean War, creating a water point ahead of the troops as they moved. In 1970, he moved to Indianola, Iowa, where he launched and ran Sermel Optical, a wholesale optical laboratory that expanded into an eye-glass boutique on the town square.

In his retirement, he and Liz were avid fishermen. His annual summer fish fry showcased his skills and fed our whole extended family; it also served as a oh-so-casual-but-not-really-casual place to introduce potential husbands for vetting. He also was a master soup chef, making large quantities of chicken noodle soup, which he joked could cure anything. His thrifty and generous spirit were on full display, as he reused cottage cheese containers to freeze soup to send home with anyone in need.

Mel loved and took great pride in his family. He and Liz called each family member to sing them on their birthdays (that's 54 people, remember?). We are all so thankful he lived long enough to meet our spouses, celebrate our children (and their children!) and chat with us for one last Christmas. Most of all, we are grateful he had a deep faith in God, and that we'll see him again in heaven.

Mel is survived by the remaining 53, including his wife Elizabeth Winjum; children, Pamela (Mark) Young, Susan (Brad) Sorensen, Carol (Rod) Kuhn, and Linda (Steven) Wickett; grandchildren, Stephen (Carlene) Young, Laura (Andrew) Bigler, Julie (Joshua) Whitmore, Leanna (Joe) Klein, Dean (Elyse) Sorensen, Kathleen Sorensen, Ryan (Randi-Fay) Kuhn, Jenifer (Luke) Anderson, Sarah (Noah) Meyer, Megan (William) Markes, and Christian Wickett; 21 great-grandchildren; brother, Kenneth (Emelia) Winjum and sister, Marvis (Verdie) Bell.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Ida Winjum; brothers, James Winjum, Robert Winjum, Francis Winjum, Jack Winjum, and one brother in infancy.

Visitation will be held 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Overton Funeral Home.  Services for will be held 10:30 a.m., Monday, January 8, 2024, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Indianola.  Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, January 9, 2024, in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, Adel, Iowa. Memorials may be given in memory of Melvin to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church.