She was married to Earl Lammers of Haines, Alaska in May of 1959. Later, she was married to Lee Yager of Verdigre, NE. And later, she was married to Jerome D. Garrison in June of 1980.
She moved to Valley, NE in 1972 and worked for the Valley Alleys for 3 years, and Dairy Queen for 2 years. Then in August of 1979 she went to work for 3M in their Valley plant. She retired on Dec. 31, 2005 after working there for 26 years. She had been a part time cook for Nick & Amber Cherny at the Outer Limits Bar & Grill located on the west side of Valley.
Merla had been a member of the Kearney Eagles Aerie 2722 for over 40 years.
Survivors: husband Jerome
5 children - Kim Yager and wife Cindy of Pleasanton, NE
Cheri Uhlik and husband Doug of Fremont
Kerry Yager and wife Janet of Grand Island
Duane Garrison and wife Lori of Omaha
Esther Garrison of California
11 grandchildren - Brandon Yager, Nathan & Sara Yager, Hollie Yager, Whitnee Yager, Robert
Yager, Kevin Yager & wife Shelia, Andrew Poast, Justin Garrison, Jerome 'Jay'
Garrison, and Wyatt Stall.
1 brother - John King and wife Cheryl of Shelton, NE
nieces, nephews, and cousins
close friends - Phil & ReNae Broughten of Omaha and family
Carol Eckwall of Omaha and family
A memorial service will held at 1:30 PM Saturday (Dec. 20th) in the Ludvigsen Mortuary Chapel. The committal will be Saturday morning at 10 AM in Ridge Cemetery. There is no visitation.
Condolences(3)
Cyndie Barris
Mead, Ne Saturday, December 20, 2008 Merla will be truley missed. I'm shocked to have lost a true friend. She will be in my heart and many others. Her support and smile always made me relax, To Merla's family you were very blessed to have had her. I was very blessed to know her. She will not be forgotten.CyndieLISA HOOVER
MOCKSVILLE, NC Friday, December 19, 2008 I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON.MERLA ALWAYS BROUGHT A SMILE TO MY FACE WHEN SHE AND I CHATTED ON THE COMPUTER...MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU IN YOUR TIME OF SORROW..PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO. YOU ARE ALL IN MY PRAYERS..LOVE TO ALL OF YOU AND KNOW THAT SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED....LISA HOOVERSheila Keen Prosser
Wendell, NC Thursday, December 18, 2008 Merla was one of the best friends my mother, Carolyn Keen Lea, had while living in Kearney. Merla was always special to me because of their friendship. She welcomed our family into hers. She even allowed me to babysit for her children that I could have a paying job. In my memories, I will always remember Merla's laughter! She had a way of making me smile. She knew how to make people enjoy life and shared that with our family. Merla always persevered and I believe that was a bond that Merla and Carolyn shared. My sympathies, children, as you let go of her earthly body and release her to a heavenly body. As you give into tears of your sadness, may you always know she will hear your voice when you cry out to her and she will continue to be a spiritual source in your lives. Jon, Jerry, Stacy and I lost our mother, Carolyn, to cancer in 1992. So we understand what you are grieving today. But I rejoice in knowing that our mothers are rekindling their friendship as you read this. My mother stood beside this scripture during her months of battling cancer at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Phillipians 4:4; Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, Rejoice. This is why we can believe that they ARE rejoicing together! May these words give you comfort in knowing how your mother touch lives beyond your knowledge or recollection. And know too, that our prayers continue for you as you touch lives, by the example that your mother instilled in each of you. My Peace, Love, and Hope, I share with you, Sheila Keen Prosser As the miles separate our lives, God always has a way of bringing us back together! To Kim: My husband, Dave and our four children, Shannon, Danon, Sheree' and Shae, lived in Pleasanton until his transfer with Rockwell Int. in Kearney, to Raleigh, NC in 1985. We were active in the Pleasanton United Methodist Church, (which I still visit on my trips back to Kearney), so if you ask around, you will talk with people who knew us while we lived there. In fact, our house was the home now owned by Reese Shafto. My sister, Stacy, married into the Don Epley family from Pleasanton and they live in Kearney. Kim, Cheri and Kerry, I would love to hear from each of you if you could just send an email message.