Thomas Anthony Merry

Thomas ("Tom") Anthony Merry, 75, passed away on Saturday, November 15 after a short but intense illness. Born in 1950, he grew up in Minnetonka as the oldest of 5 children. He dropped out of high school and ran away to California, but realized at a concert where fans were being crushed up against the stage and injured that perhaps the promises of the movement which claimed to be about peace and love were not real. He called his parents and came home to Minnesota. Here he re-committed his life to Jesus and completed his GED. Someone from his church vouched for him when he applied for a mail clerk job at Tennant Company, which manufactures industrial floor sweepers. The man told them, "If you hire Tom, you will see what a Christian can do for your company." He was hired.

Later, he married at 24 and he and his wife welcomed three daughters to their family. He managed to keep working his way up in the company until he was a manufacturing engineer and one of the company's top PC experts. He worked at Tennant for 36 years prior to his retirement.

He loved nature, cats, music and his family. For much of his adult life he suffered from depression and a social anxiety disorder but experienced healing in 2023. In his last couple years of life, he was able to leave his home and take his wife on dates again, participate in family events at restaurants, and had an opportunity to see one of his daughters perform for the first time.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Linda Merry, his three daughters Christy Merry (Tommy Rehbein), Nicole Merry (Christopher/CJ), Rachel Merry (fiancé Luke Lebens), grandchildren Michaela Merry and Travis Roepke (Rena) and great-grandchild Casper Roepke. Also survived by siblings Scott Merry (Alice), Robin Walden (Trent) and John Merry (Jenny) as well as children and grandchildren of each, and brother-in-law Jeff Bangs (Stephanie), as well as four nieces whose parents have preceded them in death: Sara and Marie Blessing and Willa Mullen and Katya Schloesser (Ben) and their children.

A memorial service is being planned. Details will be posted here once available.

Any mail to the family can be addressed in c/o Christy Merry, PO Box 16618, Minneapolis, MN 55416.