Merlin Kress

Merlin H. Kress, 86, of West Liberty, Ohio, passed away Sunday, April 1, 2012 at Green Hills Care Center in West Liberty.

He was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio February 18, 1926, the only son of the late Holmes H. and Reva Loffer Kress. He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Mildred Ballinger and Ruth Hauenstein, and brother-in-laws Dwight Ballinger, Roger Hauenstein and Richard Cook.

On February 17, 1962, he married the former Shirley Brackney in Marietta, Ohio, and she survives along with one daughter, Lisa (Tim) Cassidy and two granddaughters, Kayla and Kelsey. He also leaves behind two children from a previous marriage, Brent (Janice) Williamson and Kristine Williamson and two sisters, Leah Cook and Miriam (Gene) Wynn.

He attended Bellefontaine High School until 1944, when as a senior, he was drafted into the Navy and served in the South Pacific. He sold cars for H. G. Short Ford and Ed Gillespie Buick. He retired from DAB in Bellefontaine after twenty eight years, then spent eleven enjoyable years delivering flowers for Wren’s Florist. For twenty five years he delivered Sunday papers for the Columbus Dispatch, Dayton Daily News and the Springfield Sun. He was a member of the West Liberty Lions Club where in 2002, he won the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.

He enjoyed people, the coffee house, country music, his old ’67 Chevy, homemade pie and ice cream and time spent with his granddaughters.

Pastor Gene Marine will conduct the funeral service Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 11 A.M. at the Kauffman-Eichholtz Funeral Home in West Liberty, where calling hours are Wednesday, April 4, 2012 from 5 to 8 P.M. Interment will be at the Highland Memorial Cemetery in West Liberty.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the West Liberty Lions Park Fund or the West Liberty EMS.