Former Daily Sentinel editor battles cancer

Marsha Melnichak

Marsha Melnichak, a former editor at the Le Mars Daily Sentinel, has retired from reporting the news to concentrate on her fight with pancreatic cancer.

Melnichak worked for the Daily Sentinel from July 1999 to April 2002 as a reporter and editor.

For the past 3 1/2 years, Melnichak has reported for the Northwest Arkansas Times covering the City of Fayetteville beat.

In that community, Tuesday, Nov. 4 was declared "Marsha Melnichak Day" in her honor.

The proclamation for that day cited Melnichak's "long and excellent service as the city reporter" and asked citizens to give her "the respect and honor she deserves for upholding the best and most cherished traditions of America's free press."

Before her time at the Daily Sentinel Melnichak worked as editor of the North Sioux City Times and the Belle Plain Union and was a reporter at the Atlantic News Telegraph.

She also served as director of communications for Teikyo Westmar University from 1986 to 1992.

Melnichak was married to the late Joe Melnichak, a former Le Mars police chief.

Benefit donations can be sent to Arvest Bank, 75 N. East Ave., P.O. Box 1327, Fayetteville, Ark., 72702.

An Arvest Cares Account has been created for Melnichak, and that account number is 19193490. Money deposited will go directly to Melnichak's benefit.

Melnichak's current address is: 311 W. Willow Ave., Farmington, Ark. 72730.