Merle Stanley McCrea, age 84, of Glidden, IA, passed away on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Addington Place in Carroll surrounded by his family.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, November 20, 2023 at the Glidden United Methodist Church with Rev. Ben Carter Allen officiating. Music for the service will be by Mary Ross. Casket bearers will be David McCrea, Nick McCrea, Braden Friedow, Alex Feilmeier, Lee Schon, and Paul Urban. Burial will be in the Merle Hay Memorial Cemetery near Glidden.
Visitation will be held from 5 – 7 P.M. on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden. The casket will be moved to the Glidden United Methodist Church at 9:30 A.M. on Monday where visitation will resume until 10:15 A.M. prior to the service.
Merle was a passionate supporter of New Hope Village and was a founding board member. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the New Hope Village Foundation and may be given online at: https://newhopevillage.org/
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
Merle was born on September 24, 1939 on a farm near Sac City, IA, and he was the son of John Sherman Sr. and Goldie Viola (Hawkins) McCrea. He grew up on the farm, attended country school as a boy, and graduated from Sac City High School. He then graduated from Wayne State College 1964 and moved to Glidden, IA, where he was employed by the Glidden – Ralston School District where he taught English, Speech, Drama, and served a guidance counselor. He was married to Joan Lopez on June 13, 1992 at the First United Methodist Church in Omaha. Merle served on many boards over the years. Merle and Joan enjoyed going to their cabin on Child Lake in Minnesota and spending time with family. He also enjoyed traveling, reading, going to coffee, telling stories, and he was an avid Chicago Cubs and Iowa Hawkeyes fan.
Merle is survived by his wife Joan McCrea of Glidden; his children and their families: Mark McCrea (Paula) of Carroll, Steve McCrea (Anne) of Ames, Amy Platt (Dick) Glidden; nine grandchildren: Elizabeth Wittrock (Doug), Amber Deardorf (Lucas), David McCrea (Dawn), Kaylie Hoyle (Sam), Nick McCrea (Becky), Heather Friedow (Braden), Mallory Boegenreif (Cory), Ashley Feilmeier (Alex), and Cassondra Schon (Lee), twenty three great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law: Jef McCrea of Santa Rosa, CA, Paulette Roche (Ted) of Sandy, UT, and Marsha Urban of Omaha; and several nieces and nephews.
Merle was preceded in death by parents John Sherman Sr. and Goldie Viola McCrea; two brothers: John Sherman McCrea Jr. and Wendell McCrea; two siblings in infancy: Harold and Joyce; a nephew Scott McCrea; and niece Shelly Raddish; and a brother-in-law Frank Urban; and sister-in-law Bonnie McCrea.
