Ernest "Ernie" Merry

Ernest Dwight “Ernie” Merry, 91, of Dell Rapids passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at Terrace Manor Nursing Home.

Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 1st Baptist Church in Dell Rapids. Burial will be in Dell Rapids Cemetery.

Visitation will begin at 2:00 PM Friday with the family present from 5:00 to 7:30 PM and a prayer service at 7:30 PM at Minnehaha Funeral Home in Dell Rapids.

Ernie was born December 15, 1920 on a farm east of Dell Rapids to John Hart and Velma June (Guild) Merry. Ernie was the youngest and a twin brother to Curtis They moved to the family farm southeast of Dell Rapids in 1921. He attended Hart School District #27 until 8th grade then Dell Rapids High School, graduating in 1940. On March 7, 1944 he was married to Evelyn Irene Hines in Dell Rapids. They farmed east of Dell Rapids. She passed away in August of 1985. He continued to farm there until his retirement and marriage to Dena F. Nielsen Kock on March 11, 1989. They lived in Chester for four years before moving to Wentworth in 1993. Dena passed away February 1, 2002. Ernie resided at Friendship Village in Dell Rapids before moving to Orchard Hills in June of 2011 and finally to Terrace Manor.

Ernie was a member of 1st Baptist Church, Sunday School Treasure, on the Pulpit Committee as well as various other church boards, Dell Rapids Cemetery Board, Logan Township Clerk, and Hart School Board. He was the maintainer operator for Logan Township from 1968 to 1969, a South Dakota Pioneer livestock shipper at the Sioux Falls Stockyards and a 4-H leader.

Grateful for having shared his life are sons, Irving (Connie) and Keith (Susie) both of Dell Rapids; daughters, LuAnn Johnson (Les Wintrode), Philip, SD and Phyllis (Tim) Bettles, Herington, KS; nine grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; seven step-children, Joanne (Virgil) Limmer-Gagnon, Madison, SD; Lyvone Yeigh, Sioux Falls SD; Judy (Don) Finell, Lennox, SD; Gloria (Warren) Bidwell, New Ulm, MN; Gerald (Jean) Cowiche, WA; Richard (Janet) Kock, Madison, SD and Merlin (Judy) Kock, Sioux Falls, SD; as well as numerous step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren; great-great grandchildren; nieces; nephews; relatives and friends.

Ernie was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, James Hart Merry and Curtis Dwayne Merry and sister, Mable Evangeline Merry.

The family requests expressions of sympathy are sent to Minnehaha Funeral Home.