Merrill Bertoch

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     Douglas “Merrill” Bertoch, age 83, of Roosevelt, Utah, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2024, surrounded by his family.
    Merrill was born March 25, 1940, in the Cottonwood Maternity House in Salt Lake City, to Douglas Hemenway and Lilian Ord Bertoch. He was the third of four children and the only boy in the family; his tremendous love for his sisters was a constant thread throughout his life. Merrill spent the first years of his life in Granger, Utah and then moved with his family, in 1943 to Roosevelt, Utah, where his father owned and operated a farm. The first few years in Roosevelt, their family lived in a log cabin, while their father built their family home from reclaimed lumber from an old flour mill. The family then moved back to the Salt Lake Valley in 1950, where he attended various schools. Due to another family move to Idaho, he graduated from Twin Falls High School, in 1958.
    Merrill had two children from a previous marriage, Brian and Becky, for whom he reluctantly relinquished custody because he felt it was in their best interest. He never forgot them in his heart. He married Carol Louise Rawson, whom he termed, “the love of his life”, on May 14, 1966 in Twin Falls, Idaho. They found each other at a very critical time in their lives and became a healing balm for one another throughout their almost fifty-eight years of marriage. They were sealed as a family, in the Logan Utah Temple on September 8, 1969. They moved to Roosevelt, Utah in 1973 where they worked long hours together sacrificing their needs and wants for their children and others. Merrill worked for Roosevelt City as City Superintendent, was a dairy farmer, owned and operated a family restaurant, and worked construction, running a rock crusher for many years and for several companies. Together, they raised five children, four boys and one girl.
    Merrill was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had a strong testimony of his Savior Jesus Christ. He believed in the power of prayer and had many experiences of being led by the Spirit throughout his life. He knew first hand, that God would answer his prayers of faith, even when it came to things such as repairing the equipment he needed to support his family. He served faithfully in many callings, including working in the Vernal Utah Temple. He believed in always giving his best effort and showing up early for everything. He never missed an opportunity to bear testimony to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, that he knew, and was personally acquainted with, the Savior Jesus Christ. He was granted his last wish, to attend church, one more time, and bear his testimony, just four weeks before he passed away.
    Merrill is survived by his wife of nearly fifty-eight years, Carol Louise Bertoch, Roosevelt; son, Eric (Cindy) Bertoch, Cheyenne, Wyoming; daughter, Sharmel (Mike) Walker, Tooele, Utah; sons, Phillip (Doris) Bertoch, Roosevelt; Mark (Tina) Bertoch, Roosevelt; Mathew (Carlina) Bertoch, Roosevelt; twenty grandchildren and thirty-nine great grandchildren; sisters, Liane Alder, Lehi, Utah; LaRae Funcannon, St. George, Utah; Jeannette (Mike) King, American Fork, Utah.
    He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law, Lawrence Adams; Ferd Alder; and Don Funcannon.
    Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 8, 2024 at the Roosevelt West Stake Center at 11:30 am. A viewing will be held that morning from 9:30 -11:15 am.            Burial will be in the Roosevelt Memorial Park.