Merrick Leah Ham 1974-2002

HAM, TERWILLIGER, SMITH, MUELLER

Posted By: Lori Clark (email)
Date: 10/21/2002 at 10:18:59

Gay & Ciha Funeral & Cremation Service– Iowa City – (319) 338-1132
2720 Muscatine Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa 52240

Iowa City Press-Citizen –Paid - Picture
Cedar Rapids Gazette-Paid – Picture
Solon Economist

Iowa City Dateline:

Merrick Leah Ham, age 28, of 912 Second Avenue, Iowa City, formerly of Solon died suddenly Tuesday, October 15, 2002 at her home.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 19, 2002 at the Solon United Methodist Church with the Reverend Renee Lunemann officiating. Burial will be at the Oakland Cemetery in Solon. Visitation will be from 4 to 8pm Friday at Gay & Ciha Funeral Service in Iowa City and after 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the church. A memorial fund has been established in Merrick’s memory. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Merrick’s family and her services.

Merrick was born July 5, 1974, in Iowa City, the daughter of Thomas M. and Barbara A. (Terwilliger) Ham. She grew up and attended school in Solon, graduating with Honors from Solon High School in 1992. Merrick then enrolled and was on the Dean’s list at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids receiving her associates degree in Children’s Education in 1994, and for a short time attended University of Northern Iowa. Merrick’s love of children led her to a long career with Iowa’s Child.

To her family, friends and all who knew her, her love of life was obvious, from her membership and commitment to Iowa Head Injury Association, her love of many sports, including the Iowa Hawkeyes; her country western music namely Garth Brooks, and her passion for betting and beating the odds from sports pools to the slots, you just knew that Merrick loved life.

Her family includes her parents, Barb and Dan Smith of Solon, and Tom and Sharon Ham of Iowa City; sisters, Sarah Smith, Kristen Smith, Abbe Smith and Michelle Mueller all of Solon, and Cari and her husband, Ben Muir of San Antonio, TX; her brother, Don Mueller of Iowa City; nephew, Chandler Muir; grandparents, Marvin and Betty Ham of Coralville, Jim and Edie Barger of Cedar Rapids, Doris Montgomery of Ft. Dodge, and Vernon Smith of Solon.