Richard Charles Merritt Sr 1946-2011
DAVIS, MERRITT, ARNESON
Posted By: Connie J Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/20/2012 at 13:43:11
Sioux City Journal
September 08, 2011ONAWA, Iowa -- Richard Charles Merritt Sr., 64, Onawa passed away Monday, Sept. 5, 2011, at his home, surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at First Christian Church in Onawa, with John Sears, minister officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the 185th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.
Richard was born Nov. 29, 1946, in Castana, Iowa, the son of Charles and Rosetta (Davis) Merritt. He grew up in Castana and worked at Mac's Chevrolet during high school. He attended Mapleton High School, where he participated in baseball, football and was Homecoming King and graduated in 1965. He later received an associate of arts degree from Sioux Empire College in 1979.
Richard and Petrina I. Arneson were united in marriage on May 6, 1978, in Sioux City. The couple made their home and raised their four children in Onawa. He worked for Monona County Road Department as a heavy equipment operator, served as Monona County Supervisor for eight years and owned and operated Merritt's Pumping Service for 25 years.
Richard had an extensive military career. He joined the 185th Air National Guard in 1965 and was activated during the Vietnam War, when he served a year at Cannon AFB, Clovis, N.M. He retired as chief master sergeant in April 1998, with 33 years military service and 29 years Federal Civil Service.
He was a member of the First Christian Church, American Legion Grimsley Thayer Post 502, Monona County V.F.W. Post 2694 and NCO Academy Graduates Association. He was a Cub Scout Master and leader and also taught Golden Gloves Boxing. Richard enjoyed traveling, smoking pork chops, gatherings with his family and panning for gold in Canada and Alaska.
Survivors left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 33 years, Petrina of Onawa; three children, Misti of Onawa, Rich Jr. of Las Vegas, Nev., and Chris and Amy of Schleswig, Iowa; his mother, Rosetta Block of Onawa; two sisters, Kay Mauch and Nancy Merritt; and a brother, Charles (Lisa) Merritt, all of Castana; five grandchildren, Devin, Dylan, Dalton, Madison and Brylee; his special four-legged grandson, Gunner; and many other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Merritt; his stepfather, Herman Block; a son, Andrew Merritt; and a brother-in-law, Floyd Mauch.
Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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