Merla May Russell
October 25, 1925 — February 25, 2015
Merla May (Minehart) Russell, 89, of Marion, formerly of the Washington D.C. area, died Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at St. Luke’s Hospital. Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 28, 2015, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion by Rev. Del Bear. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Private Burial: Buck Creek Cemetery, rural Hopkinton.
Survivors include her son, Kenneth Russell of Lorton, Virginia; two brothers, Manly LeClere of Cedar Rapids and Nelson (Lorraine) LeClere of Prairieburg; two daughters-in-law, Jill Russell of Alexandria, Virginia and Mary Russell of Jacksonville, Florida; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lewis; a daughter, Rebecca; three sons, James, John, and Earl; two sisters, Merna and Nona; and a sister-in-law, Doris.
Merla was born October 25, 1925, the daughter of Neil and Minerva (Ratcliff) Minehart in Anamosa. She graduated from Coggon High School in 1943. On June 9, 1945, she married Lewis E. Russell in Washington D.C. Lewis died December 31, 1977. She worked as a Civil Service clerk in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. Following her retirement, Merla moved home to Iowa and her family roots. Spending time with her family was her greatest joy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to either the Cedar Valley Humane Society or to the American Lung Association in Merla’s memory.
Survivors include her son, Kenneth Russell of Lorton, Virginia; two brothers, Manly LeClere of Cedar Rapids and Nelson (Lorraine) LeClere of Prairieburg; two daughters-in-law, Jill Russell of Alexandria, Virginia and Mary Russell of Jacksonville, Florida; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lewis; a daughter, Rebecca; three sons, James, John, and Earl; two sisters, Merna and Nona; and a sister-in-law, Doris.
Merla was born October 25, 1925, the daughter of Neil and Minerva (Ratcliff) Minehart in Anamosa. She graduated from Coggon High School in 1943. On June 9, 1945, she married Lewis E. Russell in Washington D.C. Lewis died December 31, 1977. She worked as a Civil Service clerk in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. Following her retirement, Merla moved home to Iowa and her family roots. Spending time with her family was her greatest joy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to either the Cedar Valley Humane Society or to the American Lung Association in Merla’s memory.
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