Gail Merrill
One of Marion's oldest, best known, and highly regarded former businessmen died Nov. 5, 2002, at St. Luke Living Center.
Gail Merrill, 95, had been in failing health for several weeks.
Born Sept. 26, 1907, at Plainville, Gail Merrill was the son of the late C. Bert and Mabel (Green) Merrill.
He attended Plainville schools, with his brother and three sisters. In 1926 the family moved to Selah, Wash., and he graduated from high school there the same year.
He moved back to Kansas in 1929, residing in Beloit where he married Beatrice Knight on Sept. 8, 1929.
Gail and Beatrice moved to Marion in 1936 and became owner/operators of Merrill's Cleaners, retiring in 1972 after 38 years of service to the community.
He enjoyed playing golf during retirement, having coffee "with the boys" at Marion Pharmacy, and an occasional game of pitch or pinochle.
He used to joke about people reading the weekly newspaper, "they already know what happened," Merrill would say, "they just want to see who got caught."
A member of numerous organizations, he contributed to the community in many ways. At various times he was on the board of directors of Central National Bank, Marion Athletic Association, Marion Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Dry Cleaners Association, Marion Country Club, Marion Board of Education (two terms), Marion Cemetery Board, and the former Marion Community Hospital.
He also was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Valley United Methodist Church.
He was a perfectionist in the dry cleaning business, attested by the knife-edge creases on trousers he dry cleaned during the days when more formal clothing was worn.
He especially enjoyed entertaining others with his ukulele, singing, and often reciting clever limericks.
Always a raconteur and person who enjoyed a clever joke, Merrill would say he learned that being on public boards meant that you'd make 10 percent of the people mad each time you made a decision, and "after 10 decisions you had no friends left."
His wife, Beatrice, died April 7, 1989.
Survivors include his son, Max, Lenexa; daughter, Carolyn White, Clark, Colo.; sister, Zenita Drake, Yakima, Wash.; four grandchildren, Mitch Merrill, Sarah Hickey, Mike Wafer, and Julie Wafer; and nine great-grandchildren.
Services were held Friday morning at Valley United Methodist Church with the Rev. Kennedy Mukwindidza officiating. Burial was in Marion Cemetery.
Casket bearers were Mitch Merrill, Mike Wafer, Tom Hickey, Bud Hannaford, Bob Reinke, and Jack Beaston.
A memorial fund has been established in his name at the church.
