Henry Merten

ALBION - Henry Joseph "Hank" Merten, 82, of Albion died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2002, at Boone County Health Center at Albion.

Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael's Catholic Church at Albion with the Rev. Frank Baumert officiating. Burial will be at St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery with military rites conducted by American Legion Post 162 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 736 of Albion.

Visitation will be 3-5 p.m. today at the Levander Funeral Home in Albion. Visitation will continue after 6:30 p.m. at the church with an 8 p.m. wake service. Visitation will resume at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Mr. Merten was born on Dec. 3, 1919, at Cornlea to Nicholas and Susan Jane (Worth) Merten. He started school at Cornlea and at 9 moved with his family to Boone County. He attended Boone County School District 21 through the fifth grade. He completed his education through the eighth grade at Albion Public Schools. He started working for Tyson Brothers in the construction of Highway 39. When he was 17, he moved to Minnesota where he worked for a farmer. He then worked in the Dakotas following the grain harvest. At 19, he went to Illinois and worked as a demonstrator for Ford tractors. He worked for farmers at Palestine, Ill., and on a dairy farm. He was a garbage hauler and maintenance man at Fort Sheridan Army Post. He also worked at Great Lakes Naval Base.

He entered the Navy on July 19, 1943. He was stationed at Fargot, Idaho, and traveled to California. He was shipped out to the New Hebrides Islands. He served his sea time aboard the Battleship USS Massachusetts. He was honorably discharged on Nov. 21, 1945.

He married Glorianna Carani on June 14, 1942, at Highland Park, Ill. They moved to Albion following his discharge. He worked for Guerney Pittenger at the Fox Farm. Later he worked for Lester Martin's Tin Shop and Wallick Radiator Shop. In 1950, he started farming with Charles Schafer and was soon on his own farming along with running a grade B dairy operation and working nights for the Albion Alfalfa Mill. He farmed until the death of his wife in 1965. In 1966, he started working for Joe's DX Service Station. He also worked for Farmers Union Station in 1968 until he was injured and could no longer work.

He married Alyce Donscheski on Nov. 26, 1970. She died on Dec. 25, 1988. He continued to live at his home.

He was a member of the church and the VFW Post 736 of Albion.

Survivors include his five children: Mary (Joe) Voboril of Primrose, Janice Ernesti and Albert Albers of Lennox, S.D., Alice (Glen) Larsen of Grand Island, Joyce (Alan) Carlson of Silver Creek and Henry Jay (Robin) Merten of Aurora; 17 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; two stepchildren, Doug (Peg) Donscheski of Lincoln and Deanna Liebswieger of Texas; numerous stepgrandchildren; two brothers, LeRoy Merten of Denver and Nicholas (Nancy) Merten of Grand Island; three sisters, his twin, Henrietta Johnson of Battle Lake, Minn., Elizabeth Horton Stone of Las Vegas and Genny (Dennis) Hurt of St. Joseph, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wives; infant twins; two brothers, Charles Merten and Harold Merten; five sisters, Alvera, Monica, Agnes, Getrude and Viola; and one stepson, Larry Donscheski.