Merlin L. Merritt, 78, of Griswold, IA, died Monday morning, June 6, 2011 at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, IA.

Merlin LeRoy Merritt was born at Clyde, KS, on July 14, 1932, the son of Ira Curtis and Anna Christina (Anderson) Merritt. He grew up and attended country school at Washington, KS, and when the family moved to Iowa in 1948, he attended Walnut High School. He joined the U. S. Army in 1949 during the Korean War and was stationed in Italy. Following his honorable discharge in 1951, he returned home and in 1952 married Shirley Paulsen. He worked for John Paulsen trucking and then in 1953 he went to work for Northern Natural Gas in the pumping station near Oakland, IA, and spent the next 40 years as a utility crew foreman with them, retiring in 1993. In 1973, he married Sarah Doty at Omaha, NE. Merlin also worked for fertilizer/chemical companies and farmers in the area.

Merlin was a member of the Central Church of Christ in Griswold, Legion Post # 508 in Griswold, the National Rifle Association, and the Iowa Trappers Association and a former member of BPOE Elks Lodge # 445 of Atlantic. He loved golfing and was a member of the Griswold Golf & Country Club. Merlin could be found fishing, hunting or trapping on any given day and made several trips to lakes and rivers all over the Midwest including many trips to Lake Erie and summers at East Okoboji.

Preceding Merlin in death was is parents and a half sister, Doris Kaufman.

Survivors include his wife Sarah of Griswold, his children and stepsons Michael (Sallie) Merritt of Preston, MN; Vicki (Al) Petersen of Omaha, NE; Denise (Dan) Bladow of Battle Lake, MN, David (Laurie) Doty of Sedalia, MO and Jerry (Betty) Doty of Griswold. Merlin's 17 grandchildren are Carissa, Brett and Hayley Merritt; Sean, Brian (Megan) and Kerri Williamson; Kayla Stewart; Kyle, Amanda and Marcus Bladow; Jennifer, Kyle (Emily), Zach, Nick and Jesse Doty; Tom Smith; and Zakery Dynek. Also surviving are 9 great grandchildren, his brothers Willis (Lu) Merritt of Atlantic, Dean Merritt of Griswold and Curtis (Nancy) Merritt of Council Bluffs, IA, and his sisters Wilma Selders of Griswold and Frances (Roy) Cupples of Fullerton, NE as well as many nieces, nephews and his dog Abby.

Funeral services will be at the Central Church of Christ on Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 1:30 PM. Burial will be in the Griswold Cemetery with Military Honors. Open visitation will be at the Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold and the family will be present from 5:00 to 7:30 on Wednesday evening.