Melvin Drews went home to be with Jesus on Tuesday, February 17, 2015.

He was born July 8, 1929, to August and Ruth Drews in McCook, NE. He attended school there and played football for the McCook High School Bison. They became state champions in 1946 and the team was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Following high school, he graduated from North Central Bible College with a degree in Theology.

On September 7, 1951, he married Bonnie Berndt. Together, they worked in several Assembly of God churches. Later, they moved to California where he began his construction career. He supervised many large construction projects including the church they attended in Hawthorne, CA. Melvin also went on several construction mission trips to Arizona, Africa, El Salvador, and Panama.

In 1977, Melvin and Bonnie purchased the Deadwood KOA campground and met many friends and visitors until they retired in 1995. After retirement, they moved to Sturgis.

He loved woodworking and model trains and spent many hours doing both. He also loved watching the Nebraska Cornhusker football team play.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 63 years, Bonnie; three daughters, Collette (Jason) Holmes of Lomita, CA, Cheryl (Mike) Glanzer of Lead, SD, and Anitra (Don) McKnight of Sturgis, SD; their son, Alan of Sturgis, SD; nine grandchildren, Shanna (Phil) Carnehl, Stacee Holmes, Susanna Holmes, Elise (Dusty) Hess, Evan Glanzer, Aimee (Brad) Bell, Aaron (April) McKnight, Adam McKnight, and Aric McKnight; and two great-grandchildren, Vienna McKnight and Joel Hess.

Melvin was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, and three brothers.

Visitation will be Friday, February 27th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 28, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the Calvary Temple Assembly of God Church, 240 W Highway 14, Spearfish, with Pastors S. Robert Maddox, Paul Thompson, and Mark Chaplin officiating. Burial will follow at Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.

Memorials have been established to Assembly of God Missions and Hospice of the Northern Hills.

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