Merle "Al" Enderle, 90, of Tecumseh, passed away Friday, March 25, 2011, in Shawnee.

He was born March 22, 1921, in Hampton, Nevada, to William and Emma Harms Enderle.

Mr. Enderle proudly served our country in the U. S. Navy from 1939 to 1960. He was a Pearl Harbor attack survivor while serving on the USS Rigel and later served on the original USS Makin Island air craft carrier. Mr. Enderle was also involved in the Korean conflict as a Sea Bee during Inchon landing. He never considered himself a "hero," but his friends and family think he's among the "Greatest Generation." Mr. Enderle retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer. After leaving the Navy he gained employment at Vandenburg AFB, CA, OBU and Tinker AFB. He retired in the early 1980s.

Mr. Enderle was born in Hampton, Nevada, to a large German-American farming family and grew up on the farm near Hampton.

He married Oma Bray in 1948 in Long Beach, California, and they were married for 58 years. He lived in California for several years following his retirement from the Navy. Mr. Enderle moved to Tecumseh in 1969.

He loved to follow politics and was very engaged in world events. He loved working in his garden and spending time with his beloved pets. Mr. Enderle was a respectful and contemplative individual who had a tremendous sense of duty that carried over into his personal life.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Oma January 17, 2006; parents; five brothers, Leo, Howard, Gilbert, Harley, and Alton; and four sisters, Opal Feemster, Mildred Palenchar, Ella Lilly and Joanna Enderle.

Mr. Enderle is survived by two daughters and one son in-law, Linda Innis, Gaye Enderle and Monte Arney, all of Tecumseh; one sister, Ruth Enderle, of Omaha, Nevada; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Virgil Enderle, of La Mirada, California; and Bill and Carol Enderle, of Scotts Bluff, Nevada; four grandsons and spouses, Rob and Mira Rice, of Huntsville, Alabama; Scott Rice, of Ogden, Utah; Erich Ward and Bonnie Brieden, of Chicago, Illinois; and Adam Ward, of San Francisco, California; three great-grandchildren, Sabrina, Michael and Eric; and dear friends, Genna and Katerina Ivashchenko, Bob and Jimmie Ruth Ward and Rick and Cherie Ward, all of Tecumseh.

Services will be 2:00 p.m., Tuesday March 29, 2011, at Cooper Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Rob Rice officiating.

Burial will follow at Romulus Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home, of Tecumseh. The casket will remain open until service time.