Merle E Richardson 1922-2001

RICHARDSON, ROTH, BERNHARDT

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/28/2008 at 14:56:35

Sioux City Journal
20 December 2001

ONAWA, Iowa -- Merle E. Richardson, 79, of Onawa died suddenly Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, at his residence.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Rush Family Chapel in Onawa.

Merle was born Feb. 27, 1922, in Odebolt, Iowa, the son of Orie and Bessie (Roth) Richardson. He attended school in Odebolt and later enlisted in the U.S. Navy June 25, 1942. He was honorably discharged Dec. 12, 1945. He was a shipfitter first class and served during World War II.

He married Phyllis Bernhardt on July 5, 1946, in Schaller, Iowa. The couple moved to Onawa, where he was a furniture dealer and salesman with McFarland Furniture for 30 years. After his retirement in 1984, he worked part time at Onawa Country Store, Coast-to-Coast and Dugdale Car Wash.

He was a member of Monona County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2694. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Jim and his wife, Pat, of Fairmont, Minn., Terry and Liz of Ocala, Fla., and Mark and his wife, Christie, of Onawa; six grandchildren, Kari, Kolby and Kasey, all of Denver, Colo., Molly of Wichita, Kan., and Krista and Kali of Onawa; three brothers and their wives, Ervin and Jean, Dale and Janice and Dean and Lynn; a sister, Irene McFarland; and a sister-in-law, Nancy Richardson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Linda; three brothers and three sisters.