Sterling Francis (Bud) Merrigan 1940-2011

MERRIGAN JORGENSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/6/2011 at 13:37:20

Sioux City Journal
27 March 2011

SIOUX CITY -- Sterling Francis (Bud) Merrigan formerly of Sioux City passed away March 21, 2011 in Shawnee, Kan. after a valiant battle with colon cancer. He was surrounded in death by his daughters, sister, Liz and brother, Jeff.

Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at Nativity Catholic Church in Sioux City. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church. Local arrangements are under the direction of Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.

He was born June 11, 1940, in Vermillion, S.D. He graduated from Vermillion High School in 1958 and then spent time in the U.S. Army, serving in Korea and Japan.

He married Dorene Jorgensen on March 30, 1964, at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Vermillion. They lived in Vermilion and Sheldon, Iowa, for a short time before moving to Sioux City, where they raised their children and spent the rest of their working days. Sterling worked for Metz Baking Company in both Sheldon and Sioux City and later was the owner/operator of several gas stations in Sioux City.

He and Dorene spent their retirement winters in south Texas and summers in the Midwest, where he was an avid golfer and loved to socialize with all. His pride and joy were his two grandsons, Reed and Jack. He was a wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend who will be missed.

He is survived by two daughters, Tonya Merrigan of Olathe, Kan., and Tyffani Richards of Shawnee, Kan.; a son-in-law, Edward Bruce Richards; two grandsons, Edward Reed Richards and Jack Tregg Richards; nine brothers and sisters, Virginia (Ed) Hartmann of Akron, Iowa, Vernon Merrigan of Benson, Ariz., Stanley (Carolyn) Merrigan of Alcester S.D., Elizabeth Merrigan of Burbank, S.D., Ethel (Bill Northwall) Merrigan of Tampa, Fla., Jim Merrigan of Vermillion, Margaret (Warren) Smith of Milwaukee, Wis., Joanne Merrigan of Savannah, Ga., and Jeff (Ellen) Merrigan of Worthington, Minn.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Dorene Merrigan; son, Tregg Jon Merrigan; his parents, Hazel and John Earl Merrigan; and sisters, Jeannie Girard and Mary O'Neill.

Honorary pall bearers will include Vernon Merrigan, Stanley Merrigan, Jim Merrigan, Jeff Merrigan, Bruce Richards and Monte Jaacks.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Grace Hospice, 9233 Ward Parkway, Suite 201, Kansas City, MO. 64114.