Verone "Boots" Merrill

Verone "Boots" Merrill was born third of six children to Harvey and Leola (Duncan) Schliinz on April 8, 1932 in Flandreau, South Dakota. She was raised on the farm near Flandreau and traveled to country school on horseback with her siblings. Later in life, her kids enjoyed hearing her talk about being an “outside” kid, doing chores with her brothers and being a cheerleader for the Flandreau High School.

During her high school years, Boots met her future husband, Gerald Merrill, while at the Armory where the kids would meet to go roller-skating. After a few years of dating, the couple was married at the Presbyterian Church in town. They then moved to Gerald’s parents’ farm just outside of Pipestone, Minnesota where they built a home on the acreage and were blessed with three daughters and a son. In addition to caring for their home and family, Boots worked at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for two years and the Shopper News. She was a true farmwife and did everything, including driving the tractors, helping with the spring planting and harvest, taking care of the livestock, vegetable gardening and canning, and making the meals for the family. She was also an excellent seamstress and made much of the clothes her children wore. She was a beloved bus driver for over 22 years for the Priester, Ludolph and Nelson bus service companies. As busy as she kept herself, Boots was always there to help someone in need and never officially retired from caregiving to others.

Boots was always known for being a hard-worker and was never afraid of attempting to overcome any task that was placed in front of her, including cleaning gutters at the house while standing atop of a ladder in her nineties! As she and Gerald enjoyed the outdoors, they built a cabin on Lake Shaokotan in the 1980s. They enjoyed making numerous memories waterskiing in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter with family and friends.

Boots was a member of Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone where she was active in Circle, taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and volunteered in many other capacities through the years. She was a 4-H leader of the Trail Blazer Club, Eastern Star, Snowmobile Club and the Lake Shaokotan Association.

She will be remembered for her big hugs and phone calls to family every morning to send her love – "as big as Shaokotan". She loved rummage sales, second hand stores and shoes. Weekly card and domino games with friends were a must, as well as going to every child’s and grandchild’s sporting events. She was twice a cancer survivor and participated in many relays to support cancer awareness and research. She came from a resilient and determined family lineage rooted in a strong Christian faith that brought her through many tough times. She is and will continue to be an inspiration to many and loved by all.

On Sunday, September 21, 2025, Boots passed away peacefully at the Pipestone County Hospice House at the age of 93 years, five months and 13 days.

Boots is lovingly survived by her three daughters, LaVon Gennette (Frank Pellegrino) of Guilford, Connecticut, LaNet Merrill (Brian Gaffey) of Sanibel Island, Florida, and LeAnn (Scott) Quist of Pipestone; daughter-in-law, Laurie Merrill (Cal) Hulstein of Pipestone; eight grandchildren, Wade Gennette (Brogan Mei), MaKenzi (Austen) Blalock, Laura (Brandon Tatera) Gaffey, Billy (Stacy) Quist, Joel (Erin) Quist, Greg Quist (Karissa Kuhle), Nichole (Weston) Bremer, and Michael Merrill (Katie May); 13 great-grandchildren, Landon Quist, Luka Quist, Tate VanRoekel, Trent VanRoekel (Mazie Elrod), Caleb Quist, Carson Quist, Cooper Quist, Ivy Kuhle-Quist, Reagan Bremer, Quinn Bremer, Barret Bremer, Myles Merrill, and Ryker Merrill; one great-great-grandchild, Maverick VanRoekel, with two more on the way; four siblings, Mildred Carstensen of Pipestone, Janet Jensen of Omaha, Nebraska, Connie Schliinz of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, and Karen Oberle of Tea, South Dakota; sister-in-law, Marlys Schliinz of Flandreau, South Dakota; and numerous other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald; son, Gerry Merrill; parents, Harvey and Leola Schliinz; and brother, Don Schliinz; and other family.

Please return as a LifeTribute video to celebrate Boots will appear when it becomes available.