Jean Eleanor Gerber Merkley was Asher's sister-in-law.
She married Asher's older brother, Ellis.
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| Photo from personal albums of Delores Horton |
According to these documents the following dates apply:
BIRTH: 17 Apr 1885- Midway, Wasatch, Utah
DEATH: 26 Dec 1972- Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
She was 87 years old when she died.
Obituary:
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| SOURCE: SL Tribune 1972, Dec 27, p.8B |
Obituary transcribed:
Jean E. Merkley
Jean Eleanor Gerber Merkley, 87, 1924- 10th East, died Dec. 26 of natural causes at home. Born April 17, 1885, Midway, Wasatch County, to Moroni and Emily Jane Jacob Gerber. Married to Ellis Merkley June 17, 1908, Salt Lake LDS Temple. Former Uintah LDS Stake MIA president, Vernal. Former school teacher; welfare social worker. Survivors: husband; sons, daughters, Aird G., Dr. Harold E., both Salt Lake City; Thurman G., Portland, Ore.; Mrs. Eugene T. (Margret) Condie, Fremont, Calif.; Dr. Ralph G., Saratoga, Calif.; Mrs. Harlan W. (Geraldine) Clark, Johannesburg, South Africa; 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; brothers, sisters, Irvin, Mrs. Frank W. (Helen) Jones, both Lehi; E. Lyman, Salt Lake City; Hugh, Spanish Fork; John W., Las Vegas; Mrs. E. Ray (Stella) Gardiner, Mrs. Bert (Fern) Swain, both American Fork; Mrs. Florence Richardson, Orem. Funeral Friday noon, 255- 2nd East, where friends call Thursday 6-8 p.m. Friday one hour prior to services. Burial Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Funeral Program:
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| From the personal albums of Bryce Merkley and Delores Horton |
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| From personal albums of Delores Horton "Ellis and Jean on 'Perfect Day'" |
Written history:
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| Written by Jean's granddaughter, Delores Horton, 1996 |
Grandmother's Perfect Day, Christmas 1972
written by Delores Merkley Horton, June 1996
Three times on this Christmas Day of 1972 Grandmother (Jean Merkley) said, "This has been a perfect day". First she said it about noon after she had received calls from all of her children who lived out-of-state. After Christmas dinner at my Uncle Harold's where she was with all her family in Salt Lake, and the last time she told my Grandfather it had been a "perfect day" was when he was helping her get ready for bed. She died in her sleep very peacefully early the next morning- next to Grandfather. She was eighty-seven and she and Grandfather had been married 63 1/2 years.
She was a magnificent person. I absolutely loved her!! She always made me feel like a person of great worth. She was a builder and booster of the highest order. I KNEW without a doubt I was her favorite (later I realized we all felt that way) but I did have the claim of being her oldest granddaughter! One of her friends said to me once, "Be great, just like your grandmother". I hope I am half as good. She was a wonderful person.
I went to see her just before Christmas because we went to Beaver for the holiday. I baked some bread to take to her and while I was there she gave me the brass candy dish that she ALWAYS had candy in when we came to see her. I was so thrilled to have it. I cherish it and think of her when I see it.
A couple of weeks after she passed away we had a birthday dinner for all the January birthdays (Mother, Margaret, David and me) and Grandfather came. It was the first occasion we had to be together since the funeral and it was a tender time for all of us. Grandfather gave the b lessing and I realized how different his voice was- just sad and sorrowing. In the blessing he asked the Lord to keep us "in the hollow of His hand". I was so touched, we all were. I loved him so and it was sad to see him without Grandmother.
* Punctuation and spelling adjusted wherein I saw fit.
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| Photo from personal albums of Delores Horton |
Because Jean passed away in the last 50 years, her death certificate will not be made publicly available until sometime around the year 2022. When it is, I will post it here.
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