MESSERSMITH, Merritt Eugene 1924-1999

MESSERSMITH, FLORIANO

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 11/13/2010 at 15:25:07

BURIAL IN MITCHELL COUNTY

M. E. 'SMITTY' MESSERSMITH

RICEVILLE, IOWA - Merritt Eugene Messersmith, 75, passed away on Tuesday (Nov. 9, 1999) following a massive heart attack.

He was born on May 25, 1924, at Red Oak, the son of Wilmeth and Walter Messersmith. He graduated from Missouri Valley High School in 1941. He served in the United States Navy Air Force from 1941 to 1945 and was a member of the VPB 118 Squadron.

He was married to Bea Floriano on Feb. 25, 1944, at San Diego, Calif. To this union two daughters were born - Karen Zahasky and Gail Morris.

He was a newspaper editor by trade and was employed at the Shenandoah (Iowa) Sentinel and newspapers in Alliance, Neb., Maquoketa, Monticello and Independence, Iowa. He and his wife purchased the Riceville Recorder in 1957. He was editor there for 39 years, retiring in June of 1996. In 1983 he received the "Master Editor-Publisher" award from the Iowa Newspaper Association. He is past president of the association and the Iowa Newspaper Foundation.

"Smitty" was a member of the Riceville Rest Home board for 25 years, was a member of the Roy Gue Post No. 244 of the American Legion and the Father F. Stirn chapter of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his wife, Bea; two daughters, Karen Zahasky and her husband, Merlyn, of Tucson, Ariz., and Gail Morris and her husband, Jim, of Riceville; three granddaughters, Julie and Paul Dietrich, of Tucson, Ariz., Suzanne and John Morse, of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Monica Zahasky, of Bloomington, Ind.; two grandsons, Tim and his wife, Heather Morris, of Ames, and Andrew Morris, of Cedar Rapids; one sister, Carla and husband, Roland Pulley, of Shenandoah; and one brother, Merlin and wife, Ruby Messersmith, of Edwards, Calif.; one aunt, and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and aunts and uncles.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 15, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Riceville, with Father John Mosher officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Riceville.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Lindstrom Funeral Home, Riceville, with a 5 p.m. Knights of Columbus rosary and a 7 p.m. scripture service.

Lindstrom Funeral Home, (515) 985-2242.

Globe Gazette, Nov. 11, 1999