Melvin E. "Bud" Nicklas, 83, died June 15 at his home in Melbourne Beach, Fla.

Born March 19, 1923, in Penn Township, he was the son of John H. and Helen M. Doutt Nicklas.

Agraduate of Penn Township High School, he was a World War II Navy veteran and retired from Great Lakes Steel in Detroit.

Mr. Nicklas as a Presbyterian. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Michigan, the Scottish Rite Valley of Detroit and the Moslem Shriners of Southfield, Mich.

He is survived by three sons, John M. Nicklas and his wife, Susan, of Wilmington, N.C., Thomas E. Nicklas and his wife, Kathy,· of Valparaiso, Ind., and Donald N. Nicklas of Allen Park, Mich.; and seven grandchildren, David, Timothy, Kelly, Sara, Courtney, Brian and Sean Nicklas; and a great-grandson.

He is also survived by two sisters, Helen M. Richardson and her husband, Chalmers, of Renfrew and Judith K. Schoeffel and her husband, C. Edward, of Evans City; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanne Forrester Nicklas, who died July 5, 1990; a brother, and a nephew.

<B>NICKLAS </B>— A memorial service for Melvin E. "Bud" Nicklas, who died Thursday, June 15, 2006, will be held in Butler County later.