Merle Lee Lacina

Merle Lee Lacina, 79, of Toledo, passed away Monday, October 20, 2025 at Sunny Hill Care Center in Tama. Visitation will be held Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 5-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama. A Private Family Graveside Service will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery in Tama.

Merle was born on January 31, 1946, in Marshalltown, Iowa, the daughter of Vernon Eugene and Pauline Mary (Reben) Hayes.

On May 27, 1961, she was united in marriage to Richard Lacina at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tama. Merle worked as a machinist for two years at Fisher Controls and eleven years at Cooper Manufacturing, retiring in 1995. She also helped on the family farm in her earlier years.

Merle enjoyed cross stitching, sewing, and doing puzzles. She collected carousel horses and butterflies. Merle loved her dogs, Chucky and Sam, and feeding her birds.

Survivors include her husband of sixty-four years, Richard; her children, Janet (Gilbert) Alvarez of Garwin, Lonnie Lacina of Tama, and James Lacina of Toledo; eight grandchildren, Amanda (Robert) Miller, Andrew Anderson, Rochelle Smith, Gilbert Smith Jr., Gabrielle Tanke, Whitney (Bo) Stanton, Miranda Lacina, and Teigan Johnson; seventeen great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ellen T. Graff of Tama, and Carol J. Scalf of Dickinson, ND; and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents; and brother-in-law, Stan Graff.

A memorial fund will be established.