Arlene
Arlene Merica
Arlene Mae (Markle) of Plainwell, Michigan passed away Thursday, September 29, 2011 in Kalamazoo. Arlene was born July 21, 1927 in Paw Paw to Arloe and Theresa (Brown) Markle.
Family was everything to Arlene, her door was always open. If somebody needed a place to stay or just a Sunday meal, you were always welcome. She was born into a farming family. Her father worked the fields and right beside him was Arlene. She learned to harness the horses and drive the brand new tractor her father bought and the family still owns. Arlene enjoyed school and then working. She was left to support 3 young children after her husband, Richard, whom she married April 12, 1947 in Ft. Wayne, IN, passed in 1964. She was employed with Shakespeare, KVP Sutherland/Brown Paper Co., Alamo Nursing Home, Abode Building and day care after her retirement. Arlene loved to stay busy by visiting relatives, shopping and traveling, her most recent trip being to Arizona with daughter, Nancy, to visit her sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Bob Burrows. Arlene loved driving, taking many trips to visit relatives in Chicago, Florida and Missouri. Traffic to her was nothing. She could tell you directions to anywhere you wanted to go. Her memory was amazing, In her later years Arlene surrounded herself with her photos, all in individual frames, some from the past and others, relatives have sent her in cards with small updates of their lives. She said that when she felt lonely, they would keep her company. Often she would just gaze at them and you could tell the memories of good times they shared would start flooding back. Arlene was a family historian, researching the Markle family back to the 1500’s. Her family tree book, with facts and photos, took up much of her living room, but she loved having them close for reference or for updating. Her latest page being of her 4th great great granddaughter, Alexi Leigha Snyder, all 3 lbs. and 14 ozs. of her!
Surviving are two sons and a daughter, Richard C. Merica, Glenn A. (Kim) Merica and Nancy L. Merica; 7 grandchildren, Ann Merica, Sue DeWitt, Matt Merica, Karen Howard, Glenn, Dan and Bruce Merica; 14 great grandchildren, Amy Snyder, Becky Schneider, Justin Rapey, Danielle and Ashley DeWitt, Michael Williams, Brynn and Brody Merica, Taylor and JaLyn Tran, Avari Merica, Damien Bowser, Jaden Vinton and Kylynne Merica; 4 great great grandchildren, Alycia and Alexi Snyder, Matthew and Jordon Schneider; siblings, Dorthy Merica, Betty (Jim) Hamilton, Dick (Elida) Markle, Don (Helen) Markle, Joyce VanAtta, Carole (Bob) Burrows, June (Steve) Anson and Linda (Lynn) Wolf; a brother-in-law, Ted Ransbottom; many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard O. Merica in 1964; two sisters, Donna Ransbottom and Shirley Markle; a brother, Art Markle; sister-in-law, Nora Markle and brothers-in-law, Melvin, James, George, Howard and Joe Merica.
Friends may visit with her family from 1 to 4 P.M. Sunday at the
Winkel Funeral Home, Otsego
, where services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, with Pastor Kathy Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Ever-Rest Memorial Park, Kalamazoo.
Contributions in memory of Arlene may be made to
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
.
Messages of condolence may be left at
www.WinkelFuneralHome.com
Offer Condolence for the family of Arlene Merica
Condolence Messages
Jodi Krawczak (niece)
September 30, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Your upbeat, smiling self will be greatly missed! I will treasure the memories of our Chicago “Collectors” trips and the time you stopped over to our house for dinner and then we went to get ice cream and I gave Nancy the wrong directions back to my house (you should have sat up front)! I won’t forget how generous and thoughtful you were to Emily and George too and the copies of pictures you gave to me. I’m grateful I had an opportunity to visit with you a few weeks ago. I’m also grateful that since you had to leave us, you were allowed to leave peacefully. Say hello to Aunt Donna, Uncle Art, Aunt Nora and Uncle Joe because I sure miss them too. Love you, Jodi
Reply
JUANITA MERICA
September 30, 2011 at 3:51 pm
You will be greatly missed. From our once a month family dinners to bowling on monday nights. One thing we remember is the 300 game you had bowling on fun night a few years ago. Also the trip with Nora, Martha, you and I to Mo. to see Aunt Edith. Love you & will miss you. Juanita
Reply
Kathy Markle Ryan
September 30, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I just want to tell my cousins how very sore my heart is tonight and that I will write later when I can gather my thoughts through my tears. My heart feels broken. Aunt Arlene was so very good and sweet to me and my girls. My deepest condolences. Love, Kathy
Reply
JoAnne Yule
September 30, 2011 at 11:10 pm
I remember Arlene from the years I was in college. I am sorry to hear of her passing.
Reply
Tim and Marcia Quigley
October 1, 2011 at 8:54 am
Glenn, Kim and Family,
We are so very saddened to hear about your mother passing away! She was such a warm, kind lady! Please know that she is now a special Angel in Heaven watching over you!
Reply
Alden and Maria Fries
October 1, 2011 at 10:15 am
Dear Nancy,
We are so sad to hear about your mother passing away. It is never easy to lose a loved one. May the Lord give you and the rest of the family the strength to handle this burden.
Reply
Jackie Ransbottom Stack (niece)
October 1, 2011 at 11:59 am
What a dear, sweet lady! I have always cherished the framed picture you gave to me of my mother on her wedding day with Grandma Theresa next to her. It is displayed on my dresser to look at every day. You are a kind, generous and giving person who will be dearly missed! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Reply
Mary Mueller
October 1, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Glenn and Family,
I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. My thoughts and prayers are with you. May time assuage your grief and leave you with fond memories.
Reply
Dale Fries family
October 1, 2011 at 3:41 pm
We extend our sympathy to your family in the passing of Arlene.
Reply
Johnson Family
October 1, 2011 at 4:38 pm
So sorry to hear about Arlene’s passing, she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers will be with all the family. All our love is sent your way.
Reply
Michael and Robin Merica
October 1, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We will always remember Arlene’s infectious smile and positive attitude. May she rest in peace.
Reply
Terry and Lori Steele
October 1, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Sorry to hear of Arlenes passing. She was a great bowling buddy.
Reply
Terri & Rick
October 1, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Nancy, Glenn and Kim, Butch and your families, Our memories include our card parties and potlucks. All trying hard to get our names on “The Bus” .
Aunt Arlene was always smiling and having a good time. Win or lose. Our gatherings will never be the same without her.
Please remember what we all once enjoyed and loved can never be lost to us. Those memories becomes a part of us forever.
Reply
Diane & Mike Phelps
October 1, 2011 at 11:45 pm
Aunt Arlene was always there when we had something special to celebrate.(Graduation’s, Wedding’s and Baptism’s.) Even when we live hours away. She was always willing to share pictures and to tell us stories of the loved ones we never met. (Grandma Markle, Richard, Shirley, etc.) She had a special place in her heart for her family, and she always made her family feel special. She will be sadly missed, but always fondly remembered.
Reply
Jenettia Gay
June 24, 2012 at 8:27 pm
I do not remember being told of Aunt Arlene’s death, so it was a shock when I received my son’s graduation party invitation back. Then I seen the death in the family notice on our Merica reunion post. Thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. I got the chance to really sit and talk to her over the last few years at the reunions, which was really nice! She will be greatly missed.
Reply
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Family was everything to Arlene, her door was always open. If somebody needed a place to stay or just a Sunday meal, you were always welcome. She was born into a farming family. Her father worked the fields and right beside him was Arlene. She learned to harness the horses and drive the brand new tractor her father bought and the family still owns. Arlene enjoyed school and then working. She was left to support 3 young children after her husband, Richard, whom she married April 12, 1947 in Ft. Wayne, IN, passed in 1964. She was employed with Shakespeare, KVP Sutherland/Brown Paper Co., Alamo Nursing Home, Abode Building and day care after her retirement. Arlene loved to stay busy by visiting relatives, shopping and traveling, her most recent trip being to Arizona with daughter, Nancy, to visit her sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Bob Burrows. Arlene loved driving, taking many trips to visit relatives in Chicago, Florida and Missouri. Traffic to her was nothing. She could tell you directions to anywhere you wanted to go. Her memory was amazing, In her later years Arlene surrounded herself with her photos, all in individual frames, some from the past and others, relatives have sent her in cards with small updates of their lives. She said that when she felt lonely, they would keep her company. Often she would just gaze at them and you could tell the memories of good times they shared would start flooding back. Arlene was a family historian, researching the Markle family back to the 1500’s. Her family tree book, with facts and photos, took up much of her living room, but she loved having them close for reference or for updating. Her latest page being of her 4th great great granddaughter, Alexi Leigha Snyder, all 3 lbs. and 14 ozs. of her!
Surviving are two sons and a daughter, Richard C. Merica, Glenn A. (Kim) Merica and Nancy L. Merica; 7 grandchildren, Ann Merica, Sue DeWitt, Matt Merica, Karen Howard, Glenn, Dan and Bruce Merica; 14 great grandchildren, Amy Snyder, Becky Schneider, Justin Rapey, Danielle and Ashley DeWitt, Michael Williams, Brynn and Brody Merica, Taylor and JaLyn Tran, Avari Merica, Damien Bowser, Jaden Vinton and Kylynne Merica; 4 great great grandchildren, Alycia and Alexi Snyder, Matthew and Jordon Schneider; siblings, Dorthy Merica, Betty (Jim) Hamilton, Dick (Elida) Markle, Don (Helen) Markle, Joyce VanAtta, Carole (Bob) Burrows, June (Steve) Anson and Linda (Lynn) Wolf; a brother-in-law, Ted Ransbottom; many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard O. Merica in 1964; two sisters, Donna Ransbottom and Shirley Markle; a brother, Art Markle; sister-in-law, Nora Markle and brothers-in-law, Melvin, James, George, Howard and Joe Merica.
Friends may visit with her family from 1 to 4 P.M. Sunday at the
Winkel Funeral Home, Otsego
, where services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, with Pastor Kathy Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Ever-Rest Memorial Park, Kalamazoo.
Contributions in memory of Arlene may be made to
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
.
Messages of condolence may be left at
www.WinkelFuneralHome.com
Offer Condolence for the family of Arlene Merica
Condolence Messages
Jodi Krawczak (niece)
September 30, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Your upbeat, smiling self will be greatly missed! I will treasure the memories of our Chicago “Collectors” trips and the time you stopped over to our house for dinner and then we went to get ice cream and I gave Nancy the wrong directions back to my house (you should have sat up front)! I won’t forget how generous and thoughtful you were to Emily and George too and the copies of pictures you gave to me. I’m grateful I had an opportunity to visit with you a few weeks ago. I’m also grateful that since you had to leave us, you were allowed to leave peacefully. Say hello to Aunt Donna, Uncle Art, Aunt Nora and Uncle Joe because I sure miss them too. Love you, Jodi
Reply
JUANITA MERICA
September 30, 2011 at 3:51 pm
You will be greatly missed. From our once a month family dinners to bowling on monday nights. One thing we remember is the 300 game you had bowling on fun night a few years ago. Also the trip with Nora, Martha, you and I to Mo. to see Aunt Edith. Love you & will miss you. Juanita
Reply
Kathy Markle Ryan
September 30, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I just want to tell my cousins how very sore my heart is tonight and that I will write later when I can gather my thoughts through my tears. My heart feels broken. Aunt Arlene was so very good and sweet to me and my girls. My deepest condolences. Love, Kathy
Reply
JoAnne Yule
September 30, 2011 at 11:10 pm
I remember Arlene from the years I was in college. I am sorry to hear of her passing.
Reply
Tim and Marcia Quigley
October 1, 2011 at 8:54 am
Glenn, Kim and Family,
We are so very saddened to hear about your mother passing away! She was such a warm, kind lady! Please know that she is now a special Angel in Heaven watching over you!
Reply
Alden and Maria Fries
October 1, 2011 at 10:15 am
Dear Nancy,
We are so sad to hear about your mother passing away. It is never easy to lose a loved one. May the Lord give you and the rest of the family the strength to handle this burden.
Reply
Jackie Ransbottom Stack (niece)
October 1, 2011 at 11:59 am
What a dear, sweet lady! I have always cherished the framed picture you gave to me of my mother on her wedding day with Grandma Theresa next to her. It is displayed on my dresser to look at every day. You are a kind, generous and giving person who will be dearly missed! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Reply
Mary Mueller
October 1, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Glenn and Family,
I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. My thoughts and prayers are with you. May time assuage your grief and leave you with fond memories.
Reply
Dale Fries family
October 1, 2011 at 3:41 pm
We extend our sympathy to your family in the passing of Arlene.
Reply
Johnson Family
October 1, 2011 at 4:38 pm
So sorry to hear about Arlene’s passing, she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers will be with all the family. All our love is sent your way.
Reply
Michael and Robin Merica
October 1, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We will always remember Arlene’s infectious smile and positive attitude. May she rest in peace.
Reply
Terry and Lori Steele
October 1, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Sorry to hear of Arlenes passing. She was a great bowling buddy.
Reply
Terri & Rick
October 1, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Nancy, Glenn and Kim, Butch and your families, Our memories include our card parties and potlucks. All trying hard to get our names on “The Bus” .
Aunt Arlene was always smiling and having a good time. Win or lose. Our gatherings will never be the same without her.
Please remember what we all once enjoyed and loved can never be lost to us. Those memories becomes a part of us forever.
Reply
Diane & Mike Phelps
October 1, 2011 at 11:45 pm
Aunt Arlene was always there when we had something special to celebrate.(Graduation’s, Wedding’s and Baptism’s.) Even when we live hours away. She was always willing to share pictures and to tell us stories of the loved ones we never met. (Grandma Markle, Richard, Shirley, etc.) She had a special place in her heart for her family, and she always made her family feel special. She will be sadly missed, but always fondly remembered.
Reply
Jenettia Gay
June 24, 2012 at 8:27 pm
I do not remember being told of Aunt Arlene’s death, so it was a shock when I received my son’s graduation party invitation back. Then I seen the death in the family notice on our Merica reunion post. Thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. I got the chance to really sit and talk to her over the last few years at the reunions, which was really nice! She will be greatly missed.
Reply
Leave a Condolence
Cancel reply
Please share your message of condolence with the family, It will be visible to the public but your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked
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