MERLIN F. JUST

April 19, 1928 - February 19, 2009
Sac City, Iowa


Visitation: Sunday, 2-4 p.m. February 22, 2009 at Farber and Otteman Funeral Home, Sac City, Iowa.

Graveside Service: Monday, 1:30 p.m. February 23, 2009 at NEWELL CEMETERY, Newell, Buena Vista County, Iowa.

MERLIN F. JUST, age 80, of Sac City, Iowa, passed away Thursday, February 19, 2009, at Loring Hospital in Sac City, Iowa.

MERLIN was born April 19, 1928, to parents William and Helene (HAMMER) JUST, on a farm on the Buena Vista and Sac County line.

MERLIN spent his early years on the farm and attended County School Douglas #1 in Sac County, Iowa. MERLIN and his family belonged to the Methodist Church in Newell, Iowa.

MERLIN served his country honorably in the Army with time spent in Japan. He was a boxer in the Army and earned the title of Sharpshooter Rifleman.

MERLIN was married to Phyllis UREN and together they had four children: Merlin; Norman; Marlin; and Jean.

MERLIN was later married to Becky HAMRICK on November 8, 1969. He then added a step-son, Stacy.

MERLIN moved to Tenaha, Texas, from 1983 until recently and provided for his family working construction. He had varied hobbies which included fishing, gardening, and raising cattle. He had very special memories of hunting with his sons as he was an avid fox and pheasant hunter. MERLIN also played locally in a country band in the 1960's, and enjoyed dancing waltzes and polkas. In his spare time he also liked to watch boxing.

MERLIN maintained an active lifestyle until his cancer diagnosis in September 2008. It was at that time that he moved home to Iowa. He will be dearly missed by all those that knew and loved him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

****** THOSE LEFT BEHIND TO CHERISH HIS MEMORY ARE:

his wife~~~
*** Becky;

children~~~
** Merlin (special friend Bonnie) JUST, Eagle Grove, IA; ** Norman (special friend Valerie) JUST, Sac City, IA; ** Marlin (Connie) JUST, Sac City, Iowa;
** Jean (Joe) REXROAT, Sac City, Iowa;

step-son~~~
** Stacy (Amanda) FOX, Houston, Texas;

grandchildren~~~
** Craig, Curtis, and Colin JUST;
** Scott REXROAT;
** Melissa and Eric JUST;
** Andrea (Jeremy) SNITKER;
** Chance JUST;
** Noah JUST;
** Lucas and Leslie FOX;

great-grandchildren~~~
** Parker and Michela JUST;
** Alana and Lincoln JUST;
** Hannah SNITKER;

sisters~~~
** Nelma RIX, Fonda, Iowa;
** Donna DIRKS, Fonda, Iowa;
** Verna Mae MILLER, Newell;
** Helene JOHNSON, Lake City, Iowa;

and a host of other family members and friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
****** MERLIN WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY:

his parents~~~
** William and Helene {HAMMER} JUST;

brothers~~~
** Loren;
** Norven;

sisters~~~
** Elnora;
** Myrna Jean;

grandson~~~
** Matthew REXROAT;

brothers-in-law~~~
** Leroy FITCHETT;
** Ed RIX;
** Dale MILLER;

sister-in-law~~~
** Violet JUST.


Luncheon to follow the burial at the First Congregational Church in Newell, Iowa.