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Published May 11, 2009, 02:26 PM

Merlin Anderson

Merlin E. Anderson, 84, of Frazee, died Friday, May 8, 2009 at the Frazee Care Center. Visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at West-Kjos Funeral Home in Detroit Lakes. Funeral services are set for 1 p.m. Friday, May 15 at West-Kjos Funeral Home, with the Rev. Philip Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Detroit Lakes.

April 22, 1925-May 8, 2009

Merlin E. Anderson, 84, of Frazee, died Friday, May 8, 2009 at the Frazee Care Center.

Merlin E. Anderson was born to Ernest G. and Alice Christopherson Anderson on April 22, 1925 in Hettinger County, N.D., where he attended country school. Merlin farmed with his dad until 1948, when he married Betty L. Scrogham of Mott, N.D. During their honeymoon they purchased a farmstead north of Detroit Lakes, near Oak Lake, where they lived for 50 years.

Early in life, Merlin raised sheep, beef, and various grain crops and milked dairy cattle. He frequently returned to his home area of North Dakota, helping family and neighbors with spring planting and fall harvesting. Merlin was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed repairing and overhauling farm tractors and other equipment. Later on, Merlin held positions with many Detroit Lakes employers, including St. Mary’s Hospital, White Drug, Mac’s Hardware and the local Detroit Lakes Clinic, where he performed janitorial and maintenance duties. He also worked at the Kath Farm Store, where he set up and delivered farm machinery.

Merlin often spoke fondly of working for Peterson Motors of Moorhead, where he and his wife Betty took delivery of new cars in Kenosha, Wis., and then drove them back to the dealership in Moorhead. Before retiring, Merlin’s last employer was Lambert Building Center in Detroit Lakes, where he greatly enjoyed meeting and interacting with customers during local deliveries of lumber and supplies.

During his retirement years, Merlin owned and managed a mobile home court north of Detroit Lakes, where once again he was afforded the opportunity to meet new people. He also enjoyed frequent visits to local cafes, visiting with friends and acquaintances. Merlin will be missed by his family and friends, who will always love and remember him as a hard worker and a gentle man with a big heart, that made a hobby of aiding others whenever the need arose.

Surviving Merlin are two daughters, Myra (Rodney) Eastman of Detroit Lakes and Julie (Lee) Bannon of Bemidji; two sons, Douglas Anderson of Denver, Colo., and Randy Anderson of Gilby, N.D.; five grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; one sister, Marion Larson of Dickinson, N.D.; two sisters-in-law, Luella Anderson of Mott, N.D., and Alice Anderson, of Regent, N.D.; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceding Merlin in death were his parents; wife Betty (1994); two brothers, Gilmer and Sidney Anderson; and three sisters, Ruth Dodd, Grace Davidson and Harriet Wagondorf.

Visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at West-Kjos Funeral Home in Detroit Lakes.

Funeral services are set for 1 p.m. Friday, May 15 at West-Kjos Funeral Home, with the Rev. Philip Johnson officiating.

Casket bearers will be Jesse Eastman, Bradley Eastman, Jill Daniels, Travis Anderson, Toni Gorth and Lee Bannon. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Detroit Lakes.

Arrangements have been entrusted to West-Kjos Funeral Home in Detroit Lakes. Those wanting to share memories and condolences are invited to use the funeral home’s online messages of sympathy section at www.westkjos.com.

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Merlin O.
05/14/2009 9:56 AM

Myra and family so sorry to hear about the passing of your father. Mary and Merlin Olson

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Charyl H.
Detroit Lakes, MN     05/12/2009 3:21 PM

Myra, Doug, Julie, Randy and family, Losing the only parent you have left is a hard thing to get through. It is like losing the pillar of your being. But with time it does get better. You just have to rely on your siblings and family and you always have the memories. And we have lots of them, right? We will have to have a cousin reunion so we can linger on some of those good memories. Call if you need someone to listen. See you soon, Charyl

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Charyl H.
Detroit Lakes, MN     05/12/2009 3:15 PM

Myra, Doug, Julie, Randy and family, Losing the only parent you have left is a hard thing to go through. It feels as though the strong pillars of your being are now gone. Now we have to rely on our siblings and family that we have left. I am thinking of you guys and know that with time it does get better and we are left with the memories. We do have lots of them, right? We will have to all get together, a cousin reunion, and linger on all those memories. I will be seeing you all soon.....Your cousin, Charyl

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