Merritt, Helen Colleen (1933 – 2007)

MERRITT, OLSON, MONSON, WIESE, SABBY, PETERSON

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 8/5/2013 at 12:35:14

Name of deceased: Helen Colleen Merritt (nee Olson)

Aged: 73 yrs, 10 mo, 10 days

Residence: Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan, IA

Born: Oct. 13, 1933, Walnut, IA

Died: Aug. 23, 2007, Harlan, IA

Funeral services: Monday, Aug. 27, 2007, Burmeister-Johannsen Funeral Home, Harlan, IA; Pastor Ron Rasmussen of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Irwin, IA, officiated. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Kirkman, IA.

Survivors: Husband of 53 years, Tom Merritt of Harlan, IA; mother, Thelma (nee Monson) Olson of Harlan, IA; sons, Curtis Merritt of Columbus, NE, and Kevin Merritt of San Antonio, TX; daughter, Lana Merritt of Harlan, IA; brothers, Dean (spouse, Joyce) Olson of Minden, IA, Alan Olson of Le Mars, IA, and Dave Olson of Lake Park, IA; sisters, Cherrie Wiese of Topeka, KS, and Wanda (spouse, Ron) Sabby of Wallingford, IA; sister-in-law, Sue Olson of Sioux City, IA; grandchildren, Faith Peterson, Drew Peterson, and Megan Merritt; other relatives and friends

Predeceased by: Father, Bertram Olson; brothers, Clyde Olson, Duane Olson, and Steve Olson

Education: attended country school east of Irwin, IA, and graduated from Irwin High School, Class of 1951. She then attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, IA.

Marriage: Thomas Oliver Merritt, May 23, 1954, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Irwin, IA

Employment: After attending Teacher’s College, Helen taught school in Kirkman, IA, for one year. She married in 1954, and relocated to Omaha where she taught for 2 years. In 1956, the couple relocated to San Jose, CA, and Helen worked for Sears. In 1959, they came back to Iowa, and moved to Harlan, IA, in 1961. She taught elementary school in Harlan until her retirement in 1995.

Hobbies/Interests: She enjoyed gardening; in addition, she and Tom liked to travel; they had visited 49 states.

Source: burmeisterjohannsen.com