Funeral services for Dan Merwin, age 89 of Hettinger, will be held at 10:30am, Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Pastor Kathleen Dettmann will officiate with burial in the Hettinger Cemetery.


A family service will be held at 7:00pm on Monday evening at the Centennial Chapel (former Congregational Church) in Hettinger.


Special music will be provided by Norman and Bonnie Smith, vocalists and Linda Nudell, organist.


Serving as casketbearers are Ron Merwin, Dave Merwin, Paul Merwin, Vince Gunn, George Ormiston, and Kevin Ormiston. Honorary Casketbearers are all of Dan's nephews and nieces.


Daniel Earl Merwin was born on March 14, 1923 to Frances Henry (F.H.) and Merle (Gillespie) Merwin near Haynes, ND. Dan grew up on the family farm just a stone's throw east of Haynes; the house is standing today. Dan told many stories about growing up in a family of sixteen kids—with Dan being fifth in line. Some of those stories included a horse named Pedro who was smarter than anyone who ever tried to ride him; of Dan and friends stealing a pie during a PTA meeting by crawling into a schoolhouse window; of poking his brother while he slept and handing him their dad's overalls— Jim, being a sleepwalker, would don the overalls while his siblings laughed hysterically. He told of hard times and happy times, and anyone could see that his growing up in the "Dirty Thirties" fashioned the man he became: a man with a strong Christian faith, a deep love of family and friends, a steward of everything in nature, a man with a fierce work ethic, and an unending generosity.


Dan tried to enlist in the military when he was seventeen (he claimed he was eighteen) but severe stomach ulcers kept him from eligibility. He instead moved to Seattle and aided the war effort by working at Boeing. It was there that he met and, three months later, married Gladys (Johnson) on March 18, 1944. After the war Dan had had enough of the city so they moved to Lewistown MT where he worked for a wheat farmer. Their first child, Joan, was born May 9, 1945 in Lewistown. They later moved to Reserve, MT where Dan was the foreman of a large farm/ranch. Their son, Dennis, was born in Williston, ND on September 7, 1947. Three years later the family moved back to North Dakota where they bought their own farm north of Hettinger. Their third child, Arlene was born in Hettinger on April 21, 1950. They continued living on the ranch until 2007, when they moved into Hettinger.


Dan passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, April 12, 2012 at the Mott Good Samaritan Society.


Dan's greatest enjoyments were spent with his favorite girl, Gladys. They worked hard but always found time to enjoy life. The couple loved to fish and for eight years traveled to Canada every spring and fall pulling their fifth-wheel camper and boat. Dan was an expert welder and carpenter and always found ways to mend or build items he needed on the farm. He was family man who adored his children, his grandsons and his great granddaughters. He taught his kids and grandkids how to play pinochle and after they learned how to play he would love to beat them at the game. He had a passion for feeding thousands of pheasants, for keeping a beautiful yard and home, for planting and tending to trees, and for raising cattle.


He was an active member of Hettinger Lutheran Church and dedicated his life to spiritual growth.


Surviving Dan are his wife, Gladys, daughter, Arlene, and 2 sons-in-law, Jerry Araujo, Hettinger, ND, and Gerald Michalenko, Bismarck, ND; grandsons, Steven Johnson, Phoenix, AZ, and Tony (Heidi) Johnson, twin great-granddaughters, Liv and Emme Johnson, all of Spearfish, SD one brother, Charles Merwin, Kenniwick, WA; five sisters, Betty Wolford, Lawton OK, Viola Becht, Enterprise, AL, Flora Wallis, Ashland, OR, Marge Wilson, Napa, CA, and Kae Currier, Ramona, CA.


Preceding Dan in death were his parents, his son, Dennis, his daughter, Joan Michalenko; his sisters, Vera Highland and Ora Wilson and brothers, Albert, Leonard (Bud), Morris(Buster) Jim, Bill, Don and Larry (Butch).


Dan will be dearly missed by all the loved ones he leaves behind.


Visitation will be on Monday from 1:00 to 7:00pm at the Centennial Chapel in Hettinger.


A memorial has been established.