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Merril
Wessel, 87
Thief
River Falls - Merril Wessel, 87, died Thursday,
February 21, 2002 at her son's home in Thief River
Falls.
Funeral
services were held at 2 
p.m.
on Sunday, February 24, at the Evangelical Free
Church in Thief River Falls with Rev. Jim Howard
officiating. Carolyn Trontvet was the organist. Dan
Trontvet was the vocalist, and Amy Ryan presented a
saxophone solo. Casketbearers were Ryan Martina,
Scott Wessel, Randy Ryan, Dick Bell, Tom (Carl)
Bell, and David Trontvet. Honorary casketbearers
included Merril's family and friends. Green Funeral
Home of Thief River Falls was in charge of the
arrangements.
Merril
Vivian Akre was born on September 19, 1914 in
Bemidji, the daughter of Edwin and Helga (Jensen)
Akre. She was baptized and confirmed at Nymore
Lutheran Church and attended elementary school in
Nymore and Bemidji High School, graduating in
1933.
On
January 1, 1941, Merril was united in marriage to
Norman Jon Wessel. For several years before Norman
started working for Lakehead Pipeline in 1954,
Merril was employed at Woolworth's, J.C. Penney,
and Northwestern Bell. With Norman's job, the
couple moved from Viking to Thief River Falls and
finally, to Clearbrook where they raised their
children. Merril worked at Bagley Mercantile,
retiring in 1975. Norman also worked for the Somoan
government in Pongo Pongo for several months. After
his retirement, the couple wintered in Mesa, Ariz.
and spent the summers in Clearbrook. Merril moved
to Thief River Falls in 1996.
From
1954 to 1996, Merril was a member of Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church in Clearbrook, and from 1996 until
the time of her death, was a member of the
Evangelical Free Church in Thief River
Falls.
She
enjoyed quilting, sewing, shopping, camping,
traveling, entertaining, attending White Cross, and
spending time with her grandchildren,
great-grandchildren, family, and
friends.
Merril
is survived by a daughter, Denise (Bart) Baumberger
of Gilbert, Ariz.; two sons, Eugene J. (Linda)
Wessel of Woodbury and Joseph N. (Glenda) Wessel of
Thief River Falls; five grandchildren; and two
great-grandchildren.
She
was preceded in death by her husband, parents, an
infant son, and six brothers.
A00003B2002FB27
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