Melvin E. Goedde, 78, of Fort Branch, passed away Thursday, July 8, 2010 at Gibson General Hospital in Princeton.

Born Oct. 25, 1931 in Evansville, he was the son of Alois and Yolanda (Tieken) Goedde.

He was a member of Holy Cross Church in Fort Branch, was a truck driver for Emge Meat Packing Co. and was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Norma (Baehl) Goedde of Fort Branch; five children and their spouses, Vernon (Jeanne) Goedde of Evansville, Doris (Terry) Stolz of Oakland City, Charles (Margaret) Goedde of Springville, Glen (Mary Ann) Goedde of Brownsburg, Jane (Phillip) Vinson of Cincinnati, Ohio;four brothers and six sisters, Henrietta Kissel of Evansville, Alvina Titzer of Daylight, Mary Martin of Mackey, Vincent Goedde of Haubstadt, Antoinette Kissel of Haubstadt, Esther Petrig of Evansville, Ethelene Petrig of Evansville, Edwin Goedde of Mt Vernon, Jerome Goedde of Evansville, Daniel Goedde of Boonville; 17 grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Alois Goedde Jr.; and two sisters, Emerita Ford and Marcella Paul.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday July 12, 2010 at Holy Cross Church in Fort Branch with Father Tony Ernst officiating. Melvin will lie in state at the church prior to the services and there will be a Rosary recited prior to mass at 10:35 a.m. Military services will be conducted by the VFW Post 2714 at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fort Branch.

Visitation will be 2-8 p.m. on Sunday with a prayer service  at 7:30 p.m. at Stodghill Funeral Home in Fort Branch.