Delbert Michael Messner's Obituary
Delbert Michael Messner
Graveside services for Delbert Michael Messner, 97, of Lake Cherokee, will be held at 2 PM Monday, March 4, 2002 at Elderville Cemetery with the Reverend Bill Cunningham officiating. Burial will be under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview. He died Thursday morning, February 28, 2002 in a Longview hospital Visitation will be from 2 to 4 Sunday, March 3, at the funeral home. Mr. Messner, also known as ''Del'' was born September 4, 1904, in Etna Green, Indiana to Pennsylvania Dutch parents, and attended high school at White Pigeon, Michigan. In 1923, he went to work for L.E. Myers Company in Chicago, as a construction contractor for electric utility firms, and became an accountant. Del finally wound up in Longview during the oil boom, where he joined the First United Methodist Church in 1930. He resigned from L.E. Myers in 1934, and founded Messner Electric Supply Company, a wholesale dealership, which he operated for nearly 30 years. In 1963, he entered the cattle business for 10 years, and dabbled in Oil and Gas Production in Texas and Arkansas. Active in civic and religious affairs in Longview, he was active in the Men?s Bible class of First Methodist Church, served on the building and grounds committee for several years. Del was a member of the Longview I.S.D. school board, and served as president for 4 years, a member of the Valley View P.T.A. He was a member of the Longview Masonic Lodge #404, a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Shriner, and a charter member of Sharon Temple. Del was also a member of the Downtown Rotary Club and served as President from 1946 to 1947. He had a perfect attendance record for 52 years. A resident of Lake Cherokee since 1973, he served on the Elderville Water Supply Corporation Board as Vice President for 10 years. He helped establish and served as president of the Elderville-Lakeport Fire Department and served as treasurer of the Fire District. He and his late wife established the Del and Barbara Messner Scholarship Endowment at LeTourneau University. Mr. Messner was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Barbara. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Wendy Messner of Lake Cherokee; granddaughters, Michele Messner of Longview and Jennifer West of Tucson, Arizona; grandson, David Messner of Dallas, Georgia; great-grandsons, Adrian and Julian Diaz of Longview, and Joshua West of Tucson; niece Juanita Bengel of Longview Those unable to attend the services may sign an online guest memorial register at www.raderfh.com. and later view the services by clicking on Funeral-Cast.
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