Barbara "Barb" Merry

Barbara (Barb) J. Merry, Burlington, Kansas, passed away at KC Hospice after battling breast cancer the last four years on Friday, May 12, 2023, at the age of 67.
Barb was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on March 1, 1956, the daughter of Robert Wayne McDonald and Dorothy Delores (Dee) Godbout McDonald. She was the 3rd child of the 7 siblings born to her family. She graduated in 1974 from Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas, and then graduated from Johnson County Community College prior to graduating in 1978 from Emporia State University with BS in Business Administration. Barb married Gene Lee Merry in Emporia, Kansas, on September 16, 1978, and they made their home in Burlington, Kansas.
She worked at Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation for 37 ½ years, in Supply Chain Management, prior to retiring. She was a member of Burlington Methodist Church where she served on several church committees, was a member of PEO/Chapter CO for over 25 years, a member of the original Board of Directors of the Coffey County Council for the Arts, was a member of Pieces and Patches Quilt Guild, Burlington Sewing Friends Club, and was always an avid cheerleader and carpool driver to all of her children's sporting events during their school years. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother (Nana) and friend.
After retirement from Wolf Creek, she worked beside her husband, in their business, Merry Investments, where she primarily took care of the financial transactions.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, Loren and Novella Merry; two brother-in-laws, Ronald D. Merry and Robert L. Merry; and her sister-in-law Dianne M. (Merry) Heins.
Immediate surviving family member include one daughter, Emilee Jean (Merry) Kuhn and husband Ryan of Shawnee, Kansas; her son Robert (Bobby) Loren Merry and wife Jessica of Escondido, California; and three beautiful grandchildren, Owen and Addison Kuhn and Kaia Merry, and new granddaughter coming summer of 2023. Other sibling family members include her brothers, Jerry McDonald of Denver, Colorado, Jeff McDonald and wife Amie of Gladstone, Missouri, her sisters, Carol Okerstrom and husband Jack of Olathe, Kansas, Patti Anderson and husband Jim of St. Louis, Missouri, Lisa Humphrey and husband Paul of Columbia, Missouri, and Nancy Ruf and husband Troy of Shawnee, Kansas. Surviving family members on her husband's side include Darrell Merry and wife Leila of Olpe, Kansas, Rodger Merry and wife Diane of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Janice Barrons and husband Roger of Manhattan, Kansas; a number of nieces and nephews; many other relatives and friends.
Barb was always known for her love of quilting, her infectious smile, great humor and attitude, and she was always willing to lend a hand.
Funeral services will be held at the Burlington Methodist Church, Burlington, Kansas, at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, May 20, 2023, and she will be laid to rest at Graceland Cemetery, Burlington, Kansas.
The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 AM. until service time at the church.
Memorial contributions can be made to Coffey County Cancer Support Group, Burlington Methodist Church, or Emporia State University Foundation with all memorials sent to Jones Funeral Home, PO Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.