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MELVIN L. Age 82, of Albuquerque, passed away Sunday, December 11, 2011 after a long battle with leukemia. He was born June 15, 1929 in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado to Sadie (Pittack) and Roy Van Doren and spent his childhood in Norfolk, Nebraska. He graduated from Norfolk High School in 1946 and Norfolk Junior College in 1948. He was seriously wounded in action in 1951 while serving in the 7th Cavalry in North Korea. After his discharge he married Edra Priest of Dallas, Texas in 1953. He then graduated from Andrews University in 1956 and received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan in 1957. Melvin served as the Assistant Treasurer of the City of Albuquerque before joining the United States Department of State in 1961. His work took him around the world to Korea, VietNam, Africa, and South America. He worked tirelessly in the Sudan administering the Department of State famine relief program in the 1980's. He retired as a Senior Foreign Service Officer in 1988 and returned to Albuquerque, where he served as the treasurer for the Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church until the day he died. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Edra P. Van Doren, Albuquerque; children, Cherri Van Doren Gerber, Kelowna, British Columbia, David Van Doren, Albuquerque, Johanna Van Doren-Jackson, Leesburg, VA, Sean Van Doren, Landstuhl, Germany; son-in-law, Robert Jackson, Leesburg, VA; sister, Delores (Van Doren)Sewell, Norfolk, NE; brother, Everett Van Doren, Dickson, TN; and his beloved grandchildren, Caitlin Gerber, Ryan Gerber, Shannon Gerber, Sarah and Shaun Gerber; Carolyn Jackson, Juliana Jackson, William Jackson, Andrew Van Doren, Austin Van Doren, Jonathan Van Doren. Services will be held Sunday, December 18, 2011 at Albuquerque Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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