Homer Verdon Merrell
‘Don’
April 9, 1921-Sept. 10, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:37 AM PDT
Ontario
Homer Verdon “Don” Merrell, 88, passed away Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009, with family by his side in Ontario, Ore.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, at Sunset Memorial Park in Coos Bay, Ore.
Don was born April 9, 1921, in Palisade, Neb., to parents Homer and Marie Merrell. He graduated from Palisade High School with a high academic scholarship and later served in the United States Army as a combat engineer, earning the European Victory Medal and a Campaign Medal with the Bronze Service Star during World War II. Don was an accomplished trumpet player throughout high school and his military career.
Don moved to Coos Bay, Ore., in 1948 and married Elizabeth Jean “Ruth” Palmer. He and his wife were married 39 years.
Don graduated from business college in Portland, Ore. He soon became the general manager of Brookmead Dairy in Coos Bay for more than 25 years. While in the dairy business, he belonged to the Oregon Dairy Association and served as president for several terms. He retired in 1986 as the general manager of the Bandon Cheese Factory in Bandon, Ore.
Being a talented high school athlete, he enjoyed watching and supporting all sports but loved golf and played for more than 60 years. His other interests included bowling, football, baseball, deer and bird hunting, reading and music. He was an active member of the Coos Bay Pirates, an active member of the Ontario and Coos Bay Elks for more than 50 years, and belonged to Ontario First Church of the Nazarene. He devoted much of his time and energy as a loving husband, father, grandfather,and friend.
Mr. Merrell is survived by daughters, Sherry Nickolson, and husband, Daryl, of Salem, Ore., and Jeanne Patton, and husband, David, of Ontario, Ore.; sons, Larry Merrell, of Salem, Ore., and Don Palmer, and wife, Joyce, of Panguitch, Utah; grandchildren, Katherine Soccozzo, of Las Vegas, Nev., Robin Swain, of Kula, Hawaii, Renee May, of Sisters, Ore., Justin Nickolson, of Salem, Ore., Elizabeth Hammon, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and April and Ali Patton, of Ontario, Ore.; good friend, Jean Tichenor, of Ontario, Ore., and numerous great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Merrell; daughter, Beverly Palmer; and brother, Myron Merrell.
Don Merrell’s family would like to thank the following for their counsel and comfort: Ontario First Church of the Nazarene, Pathway Hospice, Presbyterian Community Care Center and Dr. Andrew Peterson, Holy Rosary Medical Center, all of Ontario, Ore.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Pathway Hospice, 1050 SW 3rd Ave. Suite 1600, Ontario, OR 97914, or Presbyterian Community Care Center, 1085 N. Oregon Street, Ontario, OR 97914.
