Merry B. Roop

Merry Beth Roop (Dodd), age 69, of Washington, KS, died Tuesday April 22, 2025 surrounded by her loving husband and children at the Heritage Care Center in Fairbury, NE.

Visitation was Friday, May 2, from 5-7 p.m. at Ward Funeral Home in Washington.

A funeral service was held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Washington Christian Church. Lunch followed in the church fellowship hall.

Private burial was in the Washington City Cemetery.

Merry was born December 24, 1955 in Washington, KS, where she lived as a child with her parents and their three and a half dozen kids. She graduated high school from Washington High School in 1973 and moved to Wichita, KS. She moved back to Washington and married her schoolgirl crush, Calvin Roop, Jr., in 1980.

Merry worked in the banking industry for most of her career. She started in data entry at a bank in Wichita and moved up to become Loan Officers in banks in Washington, Linn and Haddam. She also helped keep the finances at KSDS, Inc. after retiring from banking. It can be said she had the ‘town job’ to support her farming husband.

Giving back to her community was very important to Merry. She was involved with 4-H in multiple areas and spent many years as a club leader for Farmington 4-H. She also served as a member and officer on the Washington County Extension Council. She was treasurer for Rural Fire District #9, a member of the Washington County Cattlewomen, and treasurer for Emmons Cemetery. Merry also enjoyed a variety of hobbies including sewing, quilting, painting, cross-stitching and reading. The most important thing to her was time spent with her family, whether it was a quick phone call to check in, attending (or planning) a family get together, scanning old pictures, helping to solve whatever current crisis someone was going through or updating the family genealogy. She was always someone you could depend on when you needed a helping hand.

She is survived by her husband, Calvin (Junior) of 44 years, Washington; son, JJ Schuster (Anna) of Olathe; and daughter, Sara of Bryan Texas; and grandchildren: Evan, Emma, Elizabeth, and Elliott Schuster. She is further survived by her sisters: Virgina Woborny, and Martha (Lynn) Teasley; brothers: Gary (Mary) Dodd, Mike (Jody) Dodd, Dan (June) Dodd, Ron (Mary) Dodd, and Allan (Carla) Dodd; sister-in-law: Joyce Dodd; Calvin’s family: Jim (Jan) Roop; Cheryl Roop; Bev Swisher; Nancy Roop; Celia (Dave) Aldrich, and many special nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Merry is preceded in death by: an infant son, Benjamin Andrew; a grandson, Ethan Michael; her parents, Ralph and Bonnie Dodd; her brother, Donald Dodd, and brothers-in-law, Andy Swisher, Larry Woborny and Delbert Roop.

A sincere and special thank you to the staff at Washington County Hospital, Ascension Via Christy Hospital ICU and 3rd floor in Manhattan, Heritage Care Center and Cottonwood Hospice. The care that Merry received during her final days from all four places was kind, compassionate and caring. Everyone not only cared for her, but also for every family member and friend that visited. Thank you so much for making this difficult time as easy as you could.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Merry name can be made to Ethan’s Fund (www.Ethansfund.com) to support Mental Health and Suicide Awareness and Prevention.