Glade Merrell

A noble and great one passed on the 3rd day of January 2022, well into his 92nd year. Glade Merrell moved from earth’s “home MTC” to continue what he was already doing in mortality – lifting others. As I’m preparing these thoughts I heard Cat Steven’s song “Cats in the Cradle” in the background, how timely. As in the song we didn’t do a lot of the things like those mentioned by Cat Stevens . . . we got to work with a man/dad who knew who and what he was becoming. He didn’t esteem himself or others above another. He didn’t give to others just to receive something in return. He practiced contentment. He didn’t deceive or lie or get others to lie or falsify for him. From a young age we witnessed Dad helping widows. Several accused him of trying to take economic advantage, only to apologize later. He didn’t oppress the hireling in his wages, just the opposite. He often would pay folks who helped him more than the agreed upon figure or he would send missionary money out or some other meaningful remuneration. He was known to help others at his place of employment by visiting management on their behalf, encouraging them to pay a struggling brother or sister a higher wage.

Dad was born in a log home in Bluebell, Utah on July 12, 1930 to Porter Lybbert Merrell and Fern Louise Larsen. He joined an older sister Arlene, whom he never stopped looking up to. He milked cows, worked at Kohl’s Market with his younger brother Reid after school cutting meat and on weekends working at the local theater.

He served in the Army just as World War II was ending. He served a mission to Europe, all French speaking countries after WWII. Most of his 3 years were spent in Belgium. He worked his way through BYU, that is where he met Irene May Fawcett with the help of his cousin Bernard. The folks married on July 1, 1960 in the Salt Lake City Temple, in a heat wave similar to the Summer of 2020. Dad would teach and counsel at Ricks College for a number of years. In the 1965 the folks and 4 boys moved to Norman, Oklahoma. Dad started a PhD program and a year later Mom started pharmacy school also at the University of Oklahoma. While at OU dad convinced an administrator into hiring the local Norman Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to clean the Sooner’s football stadium after each game. The money raised went to their building fund. This went on for 20 plus years. Norman is now a Stake. The members there had to give up this financial project. It was too successful for a non-profit, tax-exempt church.

He leaves behind his wife, Irene of Twin Falls, ID; children Marshall and Jan, Ashton, ID; Miles, Salt Lake City, UT; Mark and DeAnn, Kennewick, WA; Matt and Sheri, Twin Falls, ID; Mike, Rexburg, ID; Michelle and Rob Sturgill, Twin Falls, ID; Monte and Julie, Queen Creek, AZ; 27 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. His brother Reid and Nelva Merrell and his sister Sondra Taylor. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Arlene Gilbert and Chryl Park Herzog.