1955
Merle
2016
Merle Herness
January 31, 1955 — March 16, 2016
Merle Herness, 61, of rural Dalton, Minnesota died Wednesday, March 16, 2016, at the St. Cloud Hospital.
Merle Henry Herness was born on January 31, 1955, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the son of George and Maxine (Arneson) Herness. He graduated from Ashby High School in 1973, and then graduated from Wadena Technical College in Auto Mechanics.
Merle was married to Monica McQuillen from 1978 to 1991. They had two daughters, Leticia (1982) and Amber (1986). While living on the farm by Dalton, he worked for Cenex/Ashby Equity, and then with Elbow Lake Equipment doing diesel mechanic work on Ford and Hesston tractors. Merle and Monica milked Holstein dairy cows on the Herness Farm from 1985 to 1988.
Merle and his family relocated to Sioux City, Iowa in the spring of 1989, where he was employed as a mechanic with TBJ, Irving F. Jensen, and then with Shep Manufacturing. Merle valued his many friendships and was always one to make others laugh. In Sioux City he loved to do karaoke, and was known as the "Minnesota Pickle". He took pride in working in the pit crew for a friend who drove racecars at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, SD. Merle also hauled race horses and starting gates cross-country to various racetracks.
In the early 2000's, he returned home to the Dalton farm to help care for his mother and uncle. He loved to watch western movies, science fiction (Star Trek), and American history movies. His favorite movie was "Dances with Wolves". Merle kept a "cap collection" and he liked making lefse, learning from his mother toward the end of her life, and then showed his daughters how, to pass on the tradition. He was a very skilled mechanic and was always willing to help anyone who needed it. Merle loved spending time with his grandchildren when they came to visit, and enjoyed giving the kids tractor rides, letting each secretly steer, and told them not to tell the others. Merle was a very caring father who always made a point to show his daughters unconditional love.
Merle is survived by his two daughters, Leticia (fiancée Rick), and Amber, of Sioux City, Iowa, and his five grandchildren Adaysha, Cyrus, Calyb, Caden, and Jazlynn. He is also survived by his sister Sandra Moore and her husband Dean, of Fergus Falls, MN, and his brother Lamont of Alexandria, MN. Merle was preceded in death by his parents, George and Maxine Herness, his sister Carol, and his brother George LeRoy.
Memorial Service: 2:00 pm, Saturday, April 2, 2016, at the Dalton Community Center in Dalton.
Visitation: one hour prior to the service.
Clergy: Rev. Todd Hylden
Interment: Bethel Lutheran Cemetery, rural Battle Lake.
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson of Ashby.
Merle's Memorial Folder
Merle Henry Herness was born on January 31, 1955, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the son of George and Maxine (Arneson) Herness. He graduated from Ashby High School in 1973, and then graduated from Wadena Technical College in Auto Mechanics.
Merle was married to Monica McQuillen from 1978 to 1991. They had two daughters, Leticia (1982) and Amber (1986). While living on the farm by Dalton, he worked for Cenex/Ashby Equity, and then with Elbow Lake Equipment doing diesel mechanic work on Ford and Hesston tractors. Merle and Monica milked Holstein dairy cows on the Herness Farm from 1985 to 1988.
Merle and his family relocated to Sioux City, Iowa in the spring of 1989, where he was employed as a mechanic with TBJ, Irving F. Jensen, and then with Shep Manufacturing. Merle valued his many friendships and was always one to make others laugh. In Sioux City he loved to do karaoke, and was known as the "Minnesota Pickle". He took pride in working in the pit crew for a friend who drove racecars at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, SD. Merle also hauled race horses and starting gates cross-country to various racetracks.
In the early 2000's, he returned home to the Dalton farm to help care for his mother and uncle. He loved to watch western movies, science fiction (Star Trek), and American history movies. His favorite movie was "Dances with Wolves". Merle kept a "cap collection" and he liked making lefse, learning from his mother toward the end of her life, and then showed his daughters how, to pass on the tradition. He was a very skilled mechanic and was always willing to help anyone who needed it. Merle loved spending time with his grandchildren when they came to visit, and enjoyed giving the kids tractor rides, letting each secretly steer, and told them not to tell the others. Merle was a very caring father who always made a point to show his daughters unconditional love.
Merle is survived by his two daughters, Leticia (fiancée Rick), and Amber, of Sioux City, Iowa, and his five grandchildren Adaysha, Cyrus, Calyb, Caden, and Jazlynn. He is also survived by his sister Sandra Moore and her husband Dean, of Fergus Falls, MN, and his brother Lamont of Alexandria, MN. Merle was preceded in death by his parents, George and Maxine Herness, his sister Carol, and his brother George LeRoy.
Memorial Service: 2:00 pm, Saturday, April 2, 2016, at the Dalton Community Center in Dalton.
Visitation: one hour prior to the service.
Clergy: Rev. Todd Hylden
Interment: Bethel Lutheran Cemetery, rural Battle Lake.
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson of Ashby.
Merle's Memorial Folder
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