Melvin J. Ertz
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Melvin J. Ertz of Grand Junction, Colorado -- beloved husband, father, and baptized child of God -- was taken to rest in Christ on January 11, 2021, at Paonia Care Center. He lived a life shaped by God's gifts of baptismal grace and faith, and died in God's promises of eternal life for all who trust in Jesus' redeeming death and resurrection.
Mel was born on October 15, 1948 to Louie and Georgia Ertz in Gregory, South Dakota. As an infant, he was baptized into salvation and faith in Jesus on October 24, 1948, in Butte, Nebraska. He and Jeanette were married in December 1971, and remained so for over 49 years. Mel was under the care of the memory unit at Paonia Care Center since October 2017.
Soon after graduating high school in 1967, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served his country in Vietnam for a year, before returning home safely to South Dakota. After he and Jeanette were married, they relocated to Colorado Springs. He stopped to ask directions at a garage door company where they offered him a job instead of giving him directions. This began his long career in the garage door business. Mel and Jeanette owned and operated E&E Door & Window, Inc. for 18 years. Their children, Lance Ertz and Mandy Kaspar, were also involved in the yearly growth and success of the business.
He truly loved his work in the garage door and window business and made many lifelong friends along the way. Those friends have called him a garage door "genius" since he could solve any garage door problem he encountered. His homespun mechanical prowess extended to nearly every activity to which he applied his hands and mind. The motto of his second garage door business was "the problem solvers."
Among his many mechanical innovations at home was the one of which he was most proud. The "Melevator" was a lift mechanism for moving loads into the very high access of his garage storage. He built it to operate with a garage door opener motor.
Mel loved his family, walking long distances (seven miles a day just because he could), and his church. He enjoyed taking his classic cars to shows all over Colorado and Las Vegas, with Jeanette and Lance. He won many awards for his cars, especially his purple and silver 1950 Chevy.
He is survived by his loving wife, Jeanette; son, Lance Ertz of Grand Junction; and daughter, Mandy Kaspar (Jason) of La Grange, Texas; and two brothers. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, two sisters and one brother.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to the kind and caring staff at Paonia Care Center and Hope West, in Delta Colorado, for the loving care they provided Mel. Funeral services will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church, Grand Junction, Colorado, at 2:00 PM, January 19, 2021. A private graveside service, with military honors, will be held on January 25, 2021.