Arnold James Mellick

Arnold James Mellick, who most called Arnie, passed away on September 29, 2025 at Medical City Dallas Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Funeral services will be on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 11:30am at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hubbard, NE with family present for visitation from 10:00am-11:30am. He will be laid to rest at Salem Cemetery in Ponca, NE.

Arnie was born on January 4, 1948 in Wayne, NE, the son of Delbert and Agnes (Stromer) Mellick. He graduated from Emerson Hubbard High School in Emerson, NE. After high school, he proudly served our country in the United States Army for 2 years (1968-1969). While in the Army, he guarded the Panama Canal, transported Generals, and trained personnel in the rainforest on how to use new equipment for Vietnam.

He married Reta Messerschmidt on January 31, 1970. Arn and Reta had three sons, Wayne, Wade, and Wyatt. Arn went through the W’s in various orders when calling the boys until he hit the right one. Arn and Reta had an inseparable love that saw 55 years of marriage. Arnie worked for Dakota County Road Department for 44 years. He ran the road grader and was the Highway Superintendent for several years. Arnie truly loved pushing snow. He also had a three acre garden where he grew lots of sweet corn over the years, bushels and bushels of tomatoes, and tons of pumpkins. This year was his best batch of pumpkins ever and he sadly didn’t know it and didn’t get to see it.

And, talk about a Huskers fan!

He will be dearly missed but his family has many wonderful memories to cherish, including his love of camping and fishing with family, attending tractor pulls, and sledding with the grandkids. He also loved playing Santa Claus for the community. In recent years, Arn and Reta went on several cruises. Arnie’s dream trip for many years was to go to Australia and they got to fulfill that dream with a 10 day cruise to Australia that they loved.

He is survived by his wife Reta of 55 years, sons Wayne (Tiffany), Wade (Jennifer), and Wyatt (Lynn); grandchildren MacKenzie (Kaden) Mellema, Connor Mellick; Brennan and Caden Mellick; Carin (Petra) Mellick, Brandon, Isabella, and BrieAnn Mellick; and great-granddaughter Savannah Mellema. He is also survived by his brother Darrell (Janet) Mellick, sister-in-law Peggy Mellick and brother-in-law Ray Casady. He is preceded in death by his parents, Delbert and Agnes Mellick, sister Charlotte Casady, and brother David Mellick.