Marsha Melnichak 1951 - 2008

Marsha L. Melnichak, 57, of Fayetteville, Ark., a native of Sioux City and former Le Mars resident, died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008, at Washington Regional Medical Center, Fayetteville, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed on Oct. 13.Marsha was born Aug. 18, 1951, in Sioux City, the daughter of Foster and Helen (Petersen) Hebron. She graduated from East High School in 1969. She attended John F. Kennedy College in Wahoo, Neb. She married Joseph M. Melnichak on Feb. 14, 1970, in Wahoo. The couple moved to Omaha, Neb., where Marsha worked at The Daily Reporter.Marsha's first job as a journalist was for the Atlantic (Iowa) News-Telegraph in 1974. She held that position until 1979, when she was named editor at the Belle Plaine (Iowa) Union. From 1986 to 1992 she served as the director of communications for Teikyo Westmar University in Le Mars. From 1994 to 1996 she was the editor of the North Sioux City Times. From 1999 to 2005, she worked at the Le Mars Daily Sentinel in several capacities, as editor, news editor, reporter and photographer. In April 2005, Marsha moved to Fayetteville to become a city government reporter for the Northwest Arkansas Times.During her career, Marsha received numerous awards from the Iowa Newspaper Association, including the Skip Weber Investigative Reporting recognition in 2004 for her reporting on the Le Mars Community Betterment Program.Marsha was a beautiful and sincere friend. She loved to spoil and spend time with her grandchildren.Survivors include a daughter, Marilyn Soukup and her husband Daniel of Fayetteville, Ark.; a son, Michael and his wife Jodi of Sioux City; four grandchildren, Zivanka Melnichak, Kasimir Melnichak, Joseph Broadway and Leela Soukup; sisters, Paula Hebron of Sioux City and Marilyn Sprague of Albuquerque, N.M.; brothers, Feyber Hebron and his wife Carol of East Grand Forks, Minn., and David Hebron of Ozark, Mo.; and her partner, Sue Morris of Fayetteville.She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Joseph on Aug. 14, 1996; and a brother Foster Jr.Visitation will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday with the family present from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Beard's Funeral Home in Fayetteville. Services will follow the visitation at the funeral home. Fellowship will follow the services at Farmington United Methodist Church in Farmington, Ark.