Eldon Merritt

Parker. Eldon Merritt, 88, died Sunday, October 20, 2013 at Bethany Meadows, Brandon. Funeral services will be at 11:00am Saturday, October 26, 2013 at Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home, Parker with burial in St. Christina Cemetery, Parker. Visitation will begin at 6:00pm Friday with family present with a Prayer Service at 7:30pm Friday evening. Eldon Francis Floyd Merritt was born on December 3, 1924 near Dolton, SD to Floyd and Laura (Fritz) Merritt. He grew up at Parker where he attended school. His Junior year he left to serve in the US Navy during WW II as a boatswain’s mate in the South Pacific. After his discharge from the service he returned to Parker where he started a dry cleaning business. He helped start the Parker Airport and developed a love of aircraft. He left Parker to attend the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Wichita, KS. He then found employment as an inspector with Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, OK. On May 22, 1954 he was united in marriage to Emma Beadle at Tulsa, OK. They moved to Parker in 1964 where he along with his brother Bob operated Merritt Propane Gas Company. Later, he served as the chief of police for Parker. For 13 years, he was an operator for the State Police Radio mostly working the night shift so he could have weekends off to spend with his family. As a side job for many years, he was in charge of maintenance at Turner Village. He was a member of the VFW and American Legion. They moved to Sioux Falls in 2006 where they lived at Primrose Retirement Community. His wife Emma died in 2008. Eldon was quick to smile and to find the humor in life. He delighted in people, particularly his large family. He told great stories and shared many cups of coffee with the people of Parker. He loved the outdoors, loved to fly, was an avid reader, and was a great husband and father. Grateful for having shared his life are 7 children, Dan (Marjorie), Yankton, Gary (Gloria), Westminster, CO, David , Sioux Falls, Jim (Cindy), Brookings, Lori (John) Cones, Chandler, AZ, Kathleen (David) Hursh, Shell Knob, MO, and Cheryl Merritt, Sioux Falls; 19 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren; a brother Dale (Minnie) Merritt, Centerville, SD; and a sister Ardell Lankhorst, Parker. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Emma, a grandchild Andrew Landon, a great grandchild Mathew Meadows, brothers Gerald and Bob, and sisters Rita and Muriell.