Arthur Merkel

MASON CITY ? Arthur W. Merkel, 94 of Mason City died Sunday, September 11, 2005 at the Manly Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Manly. Funeral services for Art will be held at 1 PM, Thursday, September 15, 2005 at St. James Lutheran Church, 1148 ? 4th Street SE with Pastor Paul C. Nelson officiating. Interment will be at 3:15 PM on Thursday in the Grafton Cemetery, Grafton. Visitation will be from 5:30 ? 7:30 PM on Wednesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania Avenue and continue one hour prior to service time at the church on Thursday. Memorials may be directed to St. James Lutheran Church. Arthur W. Merkel was born on June 3, 1911 the son of Henry E. and Mary C. (Hansen) Merkel in rural St. Ansgar. Art resided in the St. Ansgar area and attended school at Carpenter. He was confirmed on April 1, 1928. Art was united in marriage to Gertrude S. Braun on February 11, 1934 in Grafton. Following their marriage they moved to Grafton where they farmed until 1945. In 1940 Art received a trophy from Dekalb Seed Company for raising over 100 bushels per acre. In 1945 they moved to Mason City and Art founded Northco. Insulating and Ventilation for hog and poultry operations, one of the first of its? kind. He was awarded the ?E? award by the National Manufacturing Group. In 1950 Art sold the manufacturing rights for the ventilation system to A & R Wood Manufacturing in Luverne, Minnesota. He then worked as a manufacturing representative for A & R Wood Mfg. for 28 years. He specialized in the design of ventilation systems for poultry and later hog operations. In 1967 Art was awarded A & R Wood?s National Salesman of the Year award. He also specialized in the training of territory reps for A & R Wood Mfg. Art?s job allowed him to travel all over the United States and into Canada. In 1978 Art retired from A & R Wood Mfg. following 28 years of service. He was an active member of St. James Lutheran Church, AARP and the Elks Lodge. Those left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Shirley Reiman and husband Don of Clarion, Larisa Walk and husband Robert Dahse of Winona, Minnesota; son, Russell J. Merkel and wife Denyce of Rogers, Arkansas; three granddaughters, Paige Blair and husband Mark of Des Moines, Dawn Barragy and husband Dan of Clear Lake and Andrea Sheldon and husband Thad of Coralville; one great grandson, Niko Barragy; two great granddaughters, Larissa Barragy and Madelyn Blair. Art was preceded in death by his parents, and infant son, wife Gertrude in 2003, son, Eugene A. Merkel, six brothers and five sisters.

Visitation:
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on September 14, 2005 (map/driving directions) 5:00 PM to 5:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on September 14, 2005 (map/driving directions)

Service:
1:00 PM at 1148 - 4th Street SE on September 15, 2005 (map/driving directions)