Merdith Vinson died in Solvang on September 23, 2002 at the age of 102. A memorial service was held September 27, 2002, and another memorial will be held in Riceville on October 20 at the family home where Merdith was bom.

Merdith was bom April 4, 1900 on the family farm in Mitchell County, Iowa, one of seven children, who all predeceased her.

Merdith attended Greenville College in Illinois where she met her future husband, Weston Vinson. After their marriage in 1925, they moved to California. Merdith worked on building DC 3’s for Douglas Aircraft during World War II. After the war, Merdith and the family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where her husband opened a new plant for Superior Fireplace Company.

Merdith and her husband Weston spent their retirement years in Leisure World in Laguna Hills, Cal. Weston died in 1984. Merdith moved to the Solvang Lutheran Home in 2000.

Merdith is survived by a daughter, Virginia Combs in Vinita, Okl., a daughter, Barbara O’Grady and son-in-law, John Prebish in Santa Ynez, Cal., and a son, Weston William Vinson, in Boynton Beach, Flor. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Source: Riceville Recorder; Oct. 3, 2002 Page 13
from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the Web by Bill Waters