OBITUARY: S. Merrill Kelley, 1916-2005, Mitchell County, Iowa 
Original version posted on www.mcpress.com - June 29, 2005   
 



                            S. Merrill Kelley

Memorial services for S. Merrill Kelley, 88, of Osage, will be held on
Friday, July 1, 2005, at the First United Methodist Church in Osage, Iowa,
with Rev. Dr. J. Samuel Subramanian and Lay Pastor Gary Gilbert officiating.

Merrill died Saturday, June 25, 2005, at the Mitchell County Regional
Health Center-Hospice Unit in Osage.

Merrill was born October 11, 1916, in Osage, the son of Benjamin "Frank"
and Ellen (Bohl) Kelley.  He attended school in Osage and graduated from
Osage High School in 1933.  Merrill was united in marriage to Helene Tyrrell
on June 14, 1936, in Osage.  She died in 1945. Merrill served in World
War II with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment from 1944 to 1945.

He was united in marriage to Bernice Burns on January 1, 1947, in Oelwein.
Bernice died in 2002.

Merrill owned and operated Kelley's Stand, a produce market, from 1950 to
1961. He owned and operated Kelley's Realty for many years. He worked for
the Osage Chamber of Commerce, and was a manager at Sunny Brae Golf Course.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Osage, the Osage
Chamber of Commerce and Osage Rotary Club.  Merrill was also a life member
of the Osage American Legion Post 278, and served on the Osage City Council.
Many children in Osage referred to him as "grandpa."

He enjoyed writing, and for many years he wrote a weekly article called
"Readers of the Fine Print" for the Mitchell County Press-News. Later in
life, Merrill would winter in San Diego and while there he was employed as
a taxicab driver.

Merrill was preceded in death by his parents; two wives; and a brother
Maurice Francis Kelley.

He is survived by a daughter Margery Johnsten and husband Richard of Great
Falls, Montana, a son Merrill F. "Skip" Kelley and wife Dee Dee of San
Diego, California, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Arrangements were made by Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, Iowa.




                       Copyright 2005, K. L. Kittleson