Merle Kennedy
Merle Kennedy
April 25, 1919 – October 26, 2011
Albia and formerly of Oskaloosa
Merle died early Wednesday morning, October 26, 2011 at the Monroe Care Center in Albia. As was his wish, his body has been cremated and a private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to Monroe Care Center or the donor’s choice.
Merle Harvey Kennedy, son of John Jennings and Mary Mildred Morrison Kennedy, was born April 25, 1919 in Ottumwa, Iowa. He was a 1937 graduate of Oskaloosa High School. At the age of 10, Merle began working for the Oskaloosa Herald and continued 47 years of service. He started delivering the Herald and continued this through high school. After graduation he worked in the mail room, then moved on to commercial printing and photoengraving. He served as a foreman of the composing room and mechanical superintendent before becoming the Production manager of the Oskaloosa Daily Herald. Merle once commented he even had the job of greasing the weather vane on top of the Herald building! The staff and his comrades at the Herald were his second family. November 8, 1941, he married the love of his life, Frances Eleanor Gilchrist in Oskaloosa, where they made their home and raised their family. Just eight days short of 68 years of marriage, she preceded him in death in 2009. Merle retired at the age of 65 and enjoyed traveling with Frances and tending to the large yard and garden they maintained. Merle and Frances enjoyed fishing, reading, playing pitch and winters spent in Apache Junction, AZ with his extended family. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Oskaloosa.
Merle’s family includes his daughters and son-in-law: Dianne Burns of Oskaloosa; Susan and Norman Frank of Hudson, IL and a son and daughter-in-law, David and Gini Kennedy of Washington, DC; five grandchildren; and a brother and sister-in-law, Melvin and Dorothy Kennedy of Oskaloosa.
Besides his parents, Merle was preceded in death by his wife, Frances on October 31, 2009; an infant daughter, Patricia Merle Kennedy; and two sisters: Betty Smithart & Phyllis Berube; two brothers: Donald Kennedy and Harry Lee “Buck” Kennedy; and a sister-in-law Donna Kennedy.
Merle’s family would like to thank the staff at Monroe Care Center for the wonderful loving care provided to him.
