Marian Merrill

O n April 9, 2022, at the age of 89, Marian Merrill, of Hershey, Nebraska, was surrounded by her family at home when she died of cancer.

Marian was born November 23, 1932, in North Platte to Ed and Bertha Kuenle. She grew up on a farm southwest of Hershey and attended a one room country school through the 8th grade. She helped her dad cultivate corn by driving a 9N Ford tractor starting at age 10 and continued until she graduated from Sutherland High School. Marian was a cheerleader for three years and was honored as Football Queen at the athletic banquet. After graduation, she attended Central Business College in Denver for a year.

On June 29, 1952, Marian married her high school sweetheart, Phil Merrill, at the Hershey United Methodist Church. Their union was blessed by three children, Mike, Martin, and Karen. The family lived on a farm east of Hershey until 1960 when they moved to the Denver area.

Marian worked as secretary to the District Manager of Burke's Insurance Company for two years. Although she enjoyed the job, she didn't like working when her kids had school breaks, so she went to work as a secretary and bookkeeper in the Jefferson County School District where she had the same vacations as her children. Marian worked in this position for 27 years and was active in the Jefferson County Educational Secretary Organization where she held a number of offices. Marian also participated in state and national organizations, attending national conventions in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Marian was honored in 1977 as a Jefferson County Educational Secretary of the Year.

In 1990, Phil and Marian returned to Nebraska when they purchased and moved to the Kuenle family farm near Hershey. She enjoyed helping her husband with farm work. In 2007, the family farm received the Heritage Farm Award for being in the same family for 100 years.

Marian was a member of the Sutherland and Hershey Garden Clubs and Friends of the North Platte Library. She helped type the Sutherland Centennial book, was an avid reader, and enjoyed organizing high school and family reunions. Marian and Phil rode bicycles many weekends and are proud of having ridden over Loveland Pass at 11,990 feet elevation!
Her family and attending school activities was always important to Marian.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Bertha and Ed, and brother, Fredrick Kuenle; grandson, Richard; brothers-in-law, Frank Oglesbee, Buck Edwards, Larry Merrill and Harlan Dancer; and her husband of 68 years, Phil Merrill, who passed March 28, 2021.

Marian is survived by her children, Mike (Laura) Merrill of Golden, CO, Martin (Sara) Merrill of Carbondale, IL, and Karen (John) Binkley of Golden, CO. Also surviving are her sisters, Loretta Edwards of Ogallala and Carol Oglesbee of La Conner, WA; brother, Phil (Linda) Kuenle of Thedford; sisters-in-law, Elaine Dancer of Sutherland and Marge Merrill of Brighton, CO; six grandchildren, two great grandchildren and other family.

Celebration of Life will be 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at the Hershey United Methodist Church with Pastor Mark Baldwin officiating. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. Memorials are suggested to the Hershey Methodist Church or Hershey Senior Center. Private family inurnment will be in Lamont Cemetery.