Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Merkle, 97, a resident of Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake, and formerly of Claypool, went to heaven at 9 a.m. Jan. 17, 2014. She was born Sept. 14, 1916, in Blanca, Colo., to Wilbur Albert and Josephine Blanche Pavy Campbell. They were both Methodist ministers. On Feb. 8, 1941, in Shelbyville, she married Charles Robert Merkle, who preceded her in death Feb. 3, 1977. She was a registered nurse. She graduated from DePauw University, Greencastle, in 1938, and later graduated from the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, Indianapolis, where she taught nursing arts. In 1946, she moved to Claypool, where she worked as a special duty nurse. During her life she volunteered her professional nursing skills, caring for people in their homes. She also founded The Golden Cross Fund to assist the less fortunate in her community. In addition, she was a volunteer dispatcher for EMS in the 1980s. She was a member of the Claypool United Methodist Church; Trinity United Methodist Church, Shelbyville; and the Women’s Society of Christian Services, Claypool. She was a leader of the Claypool Girls 4-H Club in the 1960s and a member of The Claypool Jolly Homemakers Club, which is no longer active. She lived in Claypool until moving to Grace Village in 2009. She was a loving mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother. Surviving are two daughters, Jo Anne (and spouse Robert) Sennett, Claypool, and Marjorie (and spouse James Russell) Henderson, Florence, S.C.; a sister, Miriam B. Senger, Shelbyville; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Emily; and one brother. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Claypool United Methodist Church, with Pastor Mike Settles officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery, Claypool. Calling is from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw. ***** Memorials may be made to the Claypool United Methodist Church and/or the Claypool United Methodist Women, 302 E. Section St., Claypool, IN 46510 or Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice Inc., P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196. Condolences may be sent via www.mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com
