Melvin D. Wikoff

Melvin Delmage Wikoff passed away Thursday, October 2, 2025 at his home. Melvin was born October 25, 1926 in Grangeville, and grew up in White Bird, ID. He started fishing at White Bird creek alone at the age of five, and fished almost daily, once catching a salmon, which he brought home live, and placed in a tub filled with water. He learned to hunt, and fish for salmon from his grandfather Delmage, who had homesteaded Delmage ranch.
He grew up to the sounds of daily prayer, as his mother held daily prayer and Bible study meetings in their home. Accepting Christ at the age of nine, he was baptized in Tolo Lake. He attended high school in Grangeville and Cascade, where his father worked in the mines. During World War II, his father entered the Navy and the family moved to San Diego, where Melvin worked at Consolidated Aircraft. Drafted into the army in 1944, he trained at Camp Roberts in California, and was sent to the Philippines, where he lived in a tent under coconut trees on the beach. When he was struck by a shark as he swam to a ship in the harbor, he renewed his connection with God and prayed for his life to spared. He reached the ship, but they would not admit him, he had to swim back to shore.
As part of the Occupational Forces, following the atomic attack on Japan, he moved to Japan, where he made friends with Japanese law enforcement officers. He was invited into their homes and learned martial arts from them. He considered returning there as a civil service worker after his discharge, but his mother prayed for Gods will and he helped his grandfather establish a small sawmill on the forest border near the Delmage Ranch.
In 1950 he enrolled in International Bible College in San Antonio, TX. His parents and brother, Billy, joined him there. Billy enrolled in the college high school, and his dad worked at Lackland AFB. Mom attended prayer groups in the city. He and Billy bought Harley Davidson motorbikes but could not operate them on campus. He graduated as valedictorian in 1952, and returned to Idaho, where he worked for the forest service and Potlatch Forests, and was active in Lewiston church youth groups.
In 1954 he visited Billy, and met his future wife, Ima, a Texan. They were engaged, and he returned to Idaho while she finished school. Married in 1955, one day following her May graduation, they settled in Lewiston, ID, where he was a youth pastor and worked for Potlatch. He was invited to join the leadership of Chi Alpha, the Assembly of God college youth ministry at WSU. He and Ima instead chose to return to his home church in Grangeville as a pastor in November 1955.
He was there for almost 10 years when God called him to work briefly at IBC in San Antonio. He was instructed by God to return to college and prepare to teach. Graduating from Northwest Nazarene College in 1967, they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and taught there for 13 years. In 1979 they moved to Boise, ID and became principals at Maranatha Christian School, and Melvin joined the pastoral staff at Central Assembly Church. After serving for 11 years, they retired in 1990 and moved back to Grangeville, ID and were involved in Grangeville Gospel Tabernacle.
In their retirement Melvin was a board member with a group serving the underground church in Asia. They made several trips to Asia, and Melvin ministered to the leaders of several denominations in several nations. They also visited Mexico several weeks for 10 years, travelling throughout the country. They also were speakers at conferences and retreats across the nation. Melvin was a strong believer in every Christian using their gifts to work together in Ministry to the world. He always gave credit to his teams for making it possible for him to accomplish what he did. He would say "Thank you for giving to the Lord and helping me finish my work on earth" to those teams with whom he worked.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents.
He survived by his wife, Ima, brother Billy (Joyce), nephew Don (Debbie) Wikoff, niece Tami (Dave) Sherman, great nephews Rob Wikoff, Chris (Ona) Wikoff, and great niece Julianna (Matthew) Goelzer and their son Wesley.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 18th at 1 pm, at Gospel Tabernacle Church, 613 N. State Street in Grangeville. Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville. Send condolences to the family at blackmerfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of family suggests donations be made to Gospel Tabernacle Church - 613 N. State St. Grangeville, Idaho 83530, City Hope School - 8650 W Fairview Ave. Boise, Idaho 83704, and McGowen International Ministries - P.O. Box 176 Meridian, Idaho 83680.
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