Meryl Eugene Williams
July 3, 1924 — March 9, 2003
Meryl E. Williams, 78, of Manchester, Iowa, formerly of Edgewood and Greeley, died Sunday evening, March 9, 2003 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Iowa City, following lengthy illness. A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 pm Sunday, March 30, 2003 at the Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Manchester, Iowa with the Rev. Peter Sanderson officiating. Burial will be in the Grant View Cemetery in Greeley, Iowa, at a later date. Merle?s body was donated to the University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics for research.
Meryl was born July 3, 1924, in Greeley, Iowa, to Ray J. & Ella M. (Clute) Williams. He attended school in Greeley until enlisting in the U.S. Navy on September 9, 1943. Meryl served as an air control operator, seaman, on the U.S.S. Bouganville in the Mediterranean during WWII. Upon his discharged in 1945, Meryl returned to Iowa and went to work at the John Deere Dubuque Tractor Works, Dubuque, Iowa. In 1946, he re-enlisted with the Navy, serving on the USS Saratoga again as an air control operator. Meryl received an honorable discharge on December 15, 1964, but continued in the Naval Reserve until 1974. After his active duty, Meryl drove a taxi for the Black & White Taxi Company in Northfolk, Virginia. On July 28, 1969, Meryl married Juliann N. Sexton in Norfolk. In July of 1969, the couple moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where Meryl worked in an ice cream factory. The couple returned to Iowa in 1971 and Meryl went to work for Henderson Manufacturing in Manchester. In 1982 he returned to John Deere Tractor Works in Dubuque and retired from there in 1986.
Meryl was a member of the St. James Episcopal Church in Independence, Iowa. He loved to hunt and fish, was an avid outdoorsman and also enjoyed a good game of Euchre.
Meryl is survived by his wife, Judy Williams of Manchester; a son, Meryl N.
(Evelyn) Williams, II, of Manchester; a daughter, Jenifer N. (Leo Slater) Young of Lamont, Iowa; four grandchildren, Jessica Bockenstedt, Haley Rose Williams, and Michaela & Ashton Cross; four great-grandchildren; a twin brother, Veryl Williams, of Edgewood; and a sister, Maxine Stevens of Downers Grove, Illinois.
Meryl was preceded in death by his parents, Ray & Ella Williams; a granddaughter, Elizabeth Bockenstedt; a great-granddaughter, Summer Tarbox; and a brother, Ray Joe Williams, Jr.
In lieu of flowers that family requests that memorials be directed to Trinity Episcopal of Iowa City, the American Heart Association or the American Lung Association.
Meryl was born July 3, 1924, in Greeley, Iowa, to Ray J. & Ella M. (Clute) Williams. He attended school in Greeley until enlisting in the U.S. Navy on September 9, 1943. Meryl served as an air control operator, seaman, on the U.S.S. Bouganville in the Mediterranean during WWII. Upon his discharged in 1945, Meryl returned to Iowa and went to work at the John Deere Dubuque Tractor Works, Dubuque, Iowa. In 1946, he re-enlisted with the Navy, serving on the USS Saratoga again as an air control operator. Meryl received an honorable discharge on December 15, 1964, but continued in the Naval Reserve until 1974. After his active duty, Meryl drove a taxi for the Black & White Taxi Company in Northfolk, Virginia. On July 28, 1969, Meryl married Juliann N. Sexton in Norfolk. In July of 1969, the couple moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where Meryl worked in an ice cream factory. The couple returned to Iowa in 1971 and Meryl went to work for Henderson Manufacturing in Manchester. In 1982 he returned to John Deere Tractor Works in Dubuque and retired from there in 1986.
Meryl was a member of the St. James Episcopal Church in Independence, Iowa. He loved to hunt and fish, was an avid outdoorsman and also enjoyed a good game of Euchre.
Meryl is survived by his wife, Judy Williams of Manchester; a son, Meryl N.
(Evelyn) Williams, II, of Manchester; a daughter, Jenifer N. (Leo Slater) Young of Lamont, Iowa; four grandchildren, Jessica Bockenstedt, Haley Rose Williams, and Michaela & Ashton Cross; four great-grandchildren; a twin brother, Veryl Williams, of Edgewood; and a sister, Maxine Stevens of Downers Grove, Illinois.
Meryl was preceded in death by his parents, Ray & Ella Williams; a granddaughter, Elizabeth Bockenstedt; a great-granddaughter, Summer Tarbox; and a brother, Ray Joe Williams, Jr.
In lieu of flowers that family requests that memorials be directed to Trinity Episcopal of Iowa City, the American Heart Association or the American Lung Association.
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