Merle E. Swartz • 1922 - 2003

Merle E. Swartz, 81 of Velva, North Dakota passed away Monday, March 3, 2003 in a Minot hospital.

Merle was born on January 14, 1922 on a farm just north of Gackle, N.D. to Walter and Anna (Wiitala) Swartz, the third child of thirteen born to this union. He went to school in and around Gackle, attending mostly country schools.

He joined the C.C.C.'s in his teens, and then at the age of 17, he joined the Marines in 1939, and served through World War II. After basic training, he was sent from San Diego, CA to Pearl Harbor, and then to Wake Island. Just one day after his arrival on Wake, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and Wake Island. The Marines were able to hold off the Japanese until the 23rd of December and all the men were taken prisoners. The next four years was spent in prison camps in Japan, Okinawa and China, until 1945 after the war.

In 1952 he started to work at the Neal Station near Velva, and retired in 1985 as a yard operator. In 1953 he married June Halvorson of Velva, and he adopted her son Allen. To this union, they had a son Steven and daughter Sandra. Merle had many hobbies; the most satisfying was collecting and refinishing antique furniture. He loved to hunt, fish and spend time with his grandchildren. He was a Boy Scout Leader for many years, and seen his own son's become Eagle Scouts.

Merle was a member of the Veteran's of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Ex-Prisoners of Wars, and president of the Minot Ostomy Chapter #261, for seventeen years, resigning in February of 2003.

Surviving Merle is his wife June of Velva; his son Steven Swartz and special friend, Vicki, Velva; and daughter Sandra, her husband Murray Sherlock, Voltaire; daughter-in-law, Nancy Swartz, Minot; four grand children, Jeff Swartz of Castle Rock, Colorado, Jeremy Swartz of Minot, Breanne and Shane Sherlock of Voltaire, one great grandson Brody Swartz of Minot; four brothers, Vernon (Marie) Swartz of Edgeley, North Dakota, Albert (Carol) Swartz of Custer, South Dakota, Barney (Pearl) Swartz, and Wally Swartz, all of Spearfish, South Dakota; three sisters, Mary Bly of Custer, South Dakota, Violet George of Emporia, Kansas and Helen (Bill) Leonard of Wynona, Oklahoma, one sister in-law Nadine Swartz of Ridgefield, Washington; one uncle, Emil Wiitala of New Hope, Minnesota, many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death, his son Allen Swartz, his parents Walter and Anna Swartz, one sister Mildred Swartz, four brothers, Irvin, Marlin, Alvin, and Gene.

Funeral: Thursday, March 6, 2003, at 11:00 a.m., at Oak Valley Lutheran Church, Velva.

Visitation: Wednesday, March 5, 2003, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, MINOT, then continuing Wednesday, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, VELVA.

Burial: Velva Community Cemetery in the spring.

Officiant: Rev. Mary A. Schave

Music: Thelma Lysne, soloist, "In the Garden"
Congregational Hymns: #448 "Amazing Grace" and #332 "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Marilyn Anderson, organist

Honorary Bearers: Members of the Velva American Legion

Active Bearers: Hillis Hugelen, Vernon Wunderlich, Fred Liquin, Bryan Feller, Glen Lorenz and Allen Johnson

Flag Folding and Presentation: United States Marine Corps. Gunnery Sergeant, Gary Schwartzenberger and a member of the Velva Boy Scouts.

Back to Obituaries