Melvin LeRoy Holst, 94, of Danby died Feb. 13, 2025, at Crystal Oaks Nursing Center in Crystal City. Mr. Holst was the caretaker for Holst Cemetery. He was a member of the Royal Neighbors of America and a lifelong union member. He took pride in helping his children build their homes. He was a longtime Cardinals baseball fan, an avid gardener, the family fixer of all things, a collector of beer steins and a hunter. He worked at his father’s filling station, Pittsburg Plate Glass Co., owned and operated his own dump truck and retired from LaRoche Industries of Festus. Born Oct. 7, 1930, in Danby, he was the son of the late Susan “Frances” (Curtis) and Frank Holst.
He was preceded in death by his wife: Alden Della (Robinson) Holst.
He is survived by a daughter: Jacquline M. (John) Anderson of Festus; two sons: Dennis L. (Mary) Holst of Hillsboro and William P. Burger of Festus; a sister: Patricia (David) Doenges of Festus; a brother: Eugene “Gene” (Bea) Holst of Colorado Springs, Colo.; nine grandchildren: Craig R. (Stacey) Anderson, Jeffrey A. (Veronica) Anderson, Heather R. (Chris) Pullen, Cody L. (Lorene) Holst, Mike (Angie) Garner, Erin Garner, Patty Johnson, Stacey (Steven) Kurzweil and Ryan Burger; and numerous great-grandchildren.
He also was preceded in death by a longtime companion: Jeanette L. Gibson; a sister: Mary (the late Gene) Reifsteck; and a brother: Floyd G. (the late Lee Etta) Holst.
Visitation is scheduled from 10 a.m. until services at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Vinyard Funeral Home, 616 W. Main St., in Festus, officiated by Pastor Mark McMullin. Burial will follow in Holst Cemetery in Danby. Memorials may be made to the Holst Cemetery Fund held at Edward Jones, 1151 E. Gannon Blvd., in Festus. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.