Merle Tisdale Cutler was born 10 January, 1911 to Wilber Daniel Cutler and Alma Kelly Cutler. He was their second son and Alma had been hoping for a girl. She dressed him in little dresses and let his hair grow into brown curls. When they were finally cut off, she kept them in a small box. He grew up quite a rascal though. His parents died within a week of each other in the spring of 1924 and he went to live with his mother's parents, William and Rachel Kelly, in Onawa, Iowa. They also kept his youngest brother, Raymond, who was 6 at the time of their parent's death. Merle didn't finish high school, but worked at the movie theater in Onawa for a time. He married Lela Zortman 28 August, 1928 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where his mother's sister, Montie Kelly Buckingham, lived. (His older brother, Kelly Cutler, had moved to Michigan, too.)
Coming back to Iowa, he and Lela had three children, Wilbur, Joanne, and Janis during the Great Depression. For a time Merle worked for Joe Kirk and times were hard. They later bought a small farm called the place on the corner, near Whiting. Their last child, Daniel T. Cutler, was born in 1946. In the early 1950's they bought a farm near Kingsley, but later sold it and bought the old McCandless Place a mile or so south of Sloan, Iowa. It was a prairie style home made of poured concrete, and had been run down for a time. They worked hard to bring it back to it's original beauty, spending the rest of their lives there. Many grandchildren spent holidays there. Merle always kept in touch with his three brothers, Kelly, Ralph and Ray. After a year of ill health, Merle died in the Onawa hospital in November 1993.
Coming back to Iowa, he and Lela had three children, Wilbur, Joanne, and Janis during the Great Depression. For a time Merle worked for Joe Kirk and times were hard. They later bought a small farm called the place on the corner, near Whiting. Their last child, Daniel T. Cutler, was born in 1946. In the early 1950's they bought a farm near Kingsley, but later sold it and bought the old McCandless Place a mile or so south of Sloan, Iowa. It was a prairie style home made of poured concrete, and had been run down for a time. They worked hard to bring it back to it's original beauty, spending the rest of their lives there. Many grandchildren spent holidays there. Merle always kept in touch with his three brothers, Kelly, Ralph and Ray. After a year of ill health, Merle died in the Onawa hospital in November 1993.
Merle Tisdale Cutler was born 10 January, 1911 to Wilber Daniel Cutler and Alma Kelly Cutler. He was their second son and Alma had been hoping for a girl. She dressed him in little dresses and let his hair grow into brown curls. When they were finally cut off, she kept them in a small box. He grew up quite a rascal though. His parents died within a week of each other in the spring of 1924 and he went to live with his mother's parents, William and Rachel Kelly, in Onawa, Iowa. They also kept his youngest brother, Raymond, who was 6 at the time of their parent's death. Merle didn't finish high school, but worked at the movie theater in Onawa for a time. He married Lela Zortman 28 August, 1928 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where his mother's sister, Montie Kelly Buckingham, lived. (His older brother, Kelly Cutler, had moved to Michigan, too.)
Coming back to Iowa, he and Lela had three children, Wilbur, Joanne, and Janis during the Great Depression. For a time Merle worked for Joe Kirk and times were hard. They later bought a small farm called the place on the corner, near Whiting. Their last child, Daniel T. Cutler, was born in 1946. In the early 1950's they bought a farm near Kingsley, but later sold it and bought the old McCandless Place a mile or so south of Sloan, Iowa. It was a prairie style home made of poured concrete, and had been run down for a time. They worked hard to bring it back to it's original beauty, spending the rest of their lives there. Many grandchildren spent holidays there. Merle always kept in touch with his three brothers, Kelly, Ralph and Ray. After a year of ill health, Merle died in the Onawa hospital in November 1993.
Coming back to Iowa, he and Lela had three children, Wilbur, Joanne, and Janis during the Great Depression. For a time Merle worked for Joe Kirk and times were hard. They later bought a small farm called the place on the corner, near Whiting. Their last child, Daniel T. Cutler, was born in 1946. In the early 1950's they bought a farm near Kingsley, but later sold it and bought the old McCandless Place a mile or so south of Sloan, Iowa. It was a prairie style home made of poured concrete, and had been run down for a time. They worked hard to bring it back to it's original beauty, spending the rest of their lives there. Many grandchildren spent holidays there. Merle always kept in touch with his three brothers, Kelly, Ralph and Ray. After a year of ill health, Merle died in the Onawa hospital in November 1993.
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