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Joe Merkle
Jun 18, 1924 - Aug 17, 2015
Posted by:  Jo Aguirre

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com

Joe Merkle, 91, passed away Monday, August 17, 2015 at his home in Norman.

Joe was born one mile west of Norman on June 18, 1924 in the current location of Carriage Plaza on West Main Street. The house stood in front of what is now the Webb Shoe Store. Joe went to elementary school at St. Joseph’s Catholic School, and later attended Norman High School, graduating in the spring of 1942. Joe worked with his father on the Merkle farm in the early 1940’s.

He served in the Merchant Marines during WW II and sailed on tankers and/or freighters from 1943-1946, when he was honorably discharged. In 1947, Joe enrolled at Oklahoma A&M (now known as Oklahoma State University) and graduated in 1951 with a degree in Agronomy. Joe returned to the Merkle farm and worked with his father through 1954. On November 20, 1954, he married Patricia Woodrow, the love of his life. In April 1955, he left the family farm and was employed by International Harvester Company, who sent he and his family on an assignment to Cardenas, Cuba. There, he was the Field Supervisor of a 4,500 acre henequen plantation. In 1959, after the revolution in Cuba, Joe and family returned to the United States where he was re-assigned to the Chicago headquarters of International Harvester. He remained in the Chicago area for 10 years until leaving International Harvester and moving back to his beloved Norman in 1973. He then took a position with the State of Oklahoma, Department of Agriculture as a Program Administrator in the Plant Industry Division. He was promoted to the position of Agricultural Resource Program Administrator, and also worked as the State Apiary Specialist which required him to remove swarms of bees from undesired areas across the state. Many times he would capture the bees and contain them in hives kept outside at his Norman home. Joe retired from the Department of Agriculture in 1991 and devoted much of his time to his grandchildren, family and friends. Joe especially enjoyed the regular visits with his “coffee” group composed of longtime friends from Norman.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, John and Elisabeth (Heitmann) Merkle, three sisters and three brothers.

He is survived by his loving wife Patricia (Woodrow); daughters Carolyn (Mike) Zadel of Mount Prospect, IL , Marilyn Crump of Keller, TX, and Elisabeth (Jude) Waltman of Norman; son, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph A. (Jessica) Merkle, Pond Creek, OK.; six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A visitation for family and friends will be at Havenbrook Funeral Home, 3401 Havenbrook St., Norman OK on Friday, August 21st from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.

In addition, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Funeral Home at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 22nd, 2015, followed by interment at Warren Cemetery.