Melvin F. Gotz, 89, passed away, surrounded by his family on Friday, August 14, 2020 at his home in the Town of Auburndale. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Auburndale, where a visitation will be from 9:00 am until service time. The service will be streamed online at www.facebook.com/rembsfuneralhomes. Rev. Mark Lundgren will officiate. Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Auburndale where military rites will be conducted, and grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Rembs Funeral Home is assisting the family. Melvin was born on April 20, 1931 in Marshfield, to Fredrick and Leah (Buhrow) Gotz and attended Auburndale Elementary and High School. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving from February 1, 1952 until 1956 and was honorably discharged from the Reserves on January 31, 1960. He married Joyce E. Weber on September 3, 1966 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in the Town of McMillan. As a young man he worked on the family farm and was employed at Roddis Plywood Corporation, Marshfield, and then Consolidated Papers in Wisconsin Rapids. In 1965 he purchased the farm in the Town of Auburndale and farmed there until retirement. Mel was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and the American Legion. He loved to read, and enjoyed anything outdoors, hunting, fishing, making wood and planting trees. He also enjoyed watching his grandchildren participating in sports and the Packers and Brewers and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Joyce and their children, Cynthia (Edward) Benjamin of Rudolph, Sheryl (Jeffrey) Katzenberger of Marshfield, Thomas (Karla) Gotz of Auburndale and Linda Brandl of Auburndale. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Lindsay (Trevor) Gorman, Kayla Gotz (Jenna Rosquist), Taylor Gotz, Travis Gotz (Maggie Willfahrt), Tyson Gotz, Conner Brandl, Kaitlin Brandl and Colton Brandl, three step grandchildren, Tyler Benjamin, and Kelvin Brandl and Matthew Katzenberger and one great granddaughter, Ruby Gorman. He is further survived by a sister, Lucille Hughes of Marshfield, special "sons" Paul Hasenohrl and the late David Budtke and foster sister, Martha Koplein. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Bernice Rein and a foster sister, Mary Eckes. A special thanks to the family and our church family and Pastor Lundgren for all the prayers and support and the chaplain and the therapists and nurses from Ascension at Home Hospice.