Elder Gerald Eldon Melchin, emeritus General Authority Seventy, died on Wednesday, June 15, at his home in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at the age of 95. Elder Melchin was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in general conference on Oct. 1, 1988, and served in that calling until 1994.
Elder Melchin was born to Arthur and Rosetta Melchin on May 14, 1921 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, and later served in the East Canada Mission from 1942 to 1944.
It was while he was serving his mission that Gerald met fellow missionary Evelyn Myler Knowles, who was serving as a secretary in the mission office. After returning home he decided to enter the Royal Canadian Air Force where he became a pilot officer shortly before the end of World War II.
While serving in the Air Force he and Evelyn wrote letters and upon his discharge from serving, he traveled to Ogden, Utah, to ask Evelyn if she would marry him. The two were married July 12, 1945, in the Logan Utah Temple and are the parents of seven children.
In his calling as a General Authority he served as a counselor in the Utah North Area, Utah South Area, Europe North Area, United Kingdom/Ireland Area and North America Southwest Area presidencies. He also served as the Assistant Executive Director for the Family History Department, the Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department and on other committees for the Church.
Upon his release in 1993, he accepted the call to serve as president of the Toronto Ontario Temple. He served in that calling until 1996. That same year he was called to serve as patriarch of the Calgary Alberta West Stake. Prior to his service as a General Authority, Elder Melchin served as a bishop, stake president, regional representative and president of the California Arcadia Mission from 1972-1975.
The Melchins raised their family in Raymond and Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where he ran an automobile dealership and an auto transport company. Elder Melchin is survived by his wife, their seven children, 39 grandchildren and 70 great-grandchildren.
A funeral is scheduled for June 25 at 11:00 a.m. at the Bow Valley Ward, 2526 24th Ave. NW, Calgary.
