Charlene Ann Merrill, 79, McCook Lake, S.D., died peacefully Friday, October 15, 2010, at a Sioux City hospital, surrounded by her family.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Jefferson, S.D., with the Rev. David Roehrich officiating. Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery, Jefferson. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, with a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at the church. The Berkemier Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Sioux City is handling the arrangements.
Charlene was born in rural Jefferson on Aug. 18, 1931, and was the daughter of Alex and Emma (Guillaume) Chicoine. She was raised on a farm and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1949.
On June 1, 1950, she married Veryl B. "Dick" Merrill at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Jefferson. The couple lived at McCook Lake and resided there for the past 50 years. Charlene worked at T.S. Martin Store and Matney Westside Manor in Sioux City, and Valentino's Pizza in South Sioux City. She retired from the Direct Transit Co..
She was also a member of St. Peter's Altar Society. Charlene loved to cook, spend countless hours in her flower garden and enjoyed relaxing bike rides, but what she loved most was raising her family, spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren. Charlene lived a selfless, faith-guided life, loving and caring for others. Her courage amidst her life's challenges will never be forgotten.
She is survived by her husband, Dick of McCook Lake; her six children, Verylene (Harry) Burris of West Terre Haute, Ind., Vicki (Eric) Eberhart of Gilbert, Ariz., David (Mary) Merrill of Fairfax, Va., Paul Merrill (Arlene Desiderio) of West Palm Beach, Fla., Mark (Melissa) Merrill of Groton, Conn., and Stephanie (Christopher) Fincke of San Antonio, Texas; 12 grandchildren, Merrilee (Christopher) Laesch, Brad and Doug Burris, Michael, Elke and Emma Eberhart, Charlotte Merrill, Hailey Merrill, Alexa, Caden, Wyatt and Emme Fincke; and one great-grandchild, Colden Laesch.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, Ian Fincke; three brothers, Alex Jr, Orville and Wallace Chicoine; and four sisters, Teresa DeBoise, Veronica DeWitt, Bernadine and Rosemary Chicoine.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charlene's memory to Trinity Heights/Queen of Peace in Sioux City.
Condolences may be left online for the family at
www.christysmith.com
at the "online guestbook".