Ralph Dean Merwin, 82, of Alliance, Nebraska, precious Dad and Grampy, found his way Home Sunday night July 10. After deeply grieving his dearly loved wife the past 3 ½ months, he is now reunited with her.
Funeral services will be Friday, July 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bates-Gould Chapel. Burial will be in the Alliance Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday morning prior to service time. Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.
Ralph was born September 14, 1939 to Fern (Rasmussen) and Francis Merwin in Oral, South Dakota. He spent his early years on the homestead and then other farms in the community before his family moved to Hot Springs, South Dakota in 1957. He attended a country school before then finishing his schooling in Hot Springs, graduating in 1958.
Following graduation, he worked on the Cobb ranch near Hermosa, South Dakota for 12 years. In the fall of 1969, Ralph first met Leila Mae Reece in a Sunday morning church meeting in North Platte, Nebraska. He loved to tell the story of how his sister Rose had told him about Leila. He didn’t know Leila would be at the meeting, but when he walked in and saw her, he said his heart told him that had to be Leila and that she was the one. Their relationship blossomed and they were joined in marriage March 8, 1971. They lived in North Platte for a while and then near Paxton where they worked on a ranch. While living in Paxton, their daughter, Lanae, was born on November 5, 1976. For a short time, they lived closer to North Platte again before moving to Valentine, Nebraska in 1981 where Ralph worked for the Nebraska Game and Parks. Son Larry was born in Valentine on November 28, 1982.
In December 1988, Ralph and Leila moved their family to Alliance, where they made their home since. He worked for John Deere Implement, later 21st Century Equipment, until his retirement in 2003. He then operated Ralph’s Mower Repair until his heart attack in 2008 and subsequent health challenges. He had a love and gift for doing mechanical work and fixing small motor equipment.
An amazing thing about Ralph was his excellent memory; he could be counted on to remember dates and recount details with precise clarity. Ralph was a quietly good, conscientious, and tender-hearted man, who did his best for his family and was deeply devoted to his wife. He and Leila were as one and their solid-gold bond of belovedness has left a forever imprint on the hearts of all who knew and loved them.
Ralph maintained a thankful spirit and a steadfast dedication to his faith. He made his choice to follow Jesus September 9, 1951 and loved the Lord to the very end with the peace of a perfect trust.
Ralph is survived by his children, Lanae Hall of Hastings, Nebraska, and Larry (Natalie) of Gering, Nebraska; grandchildren, Adair, Baylen, Shiloh, and Mikol (Lanae), and Ethan and Charlotte (Larry); sisters, Nancy Snow of Rapid City, South Dakota, Frances Ann Rolf of Huntsville, Alabama, and Rose (George) Medich of North Platte, Nebraska; brothers, Albert of Rapid City, Alfred (Elaine) of Hot Springs, and Richard (Donna) of Rapid City; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives. Additionally, he is survived by his brother-in-law, Dwain (Dewey) Reece of Sac City, Iowa, who was a faithful friend and support to Ralph especially following his bereavement, calling him almost nightly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis (January, 1981) and Fern (November, 2004), and his wife Leila (March, 2022), as well as a brother, Ray (2007).
May his memory be a blessing. Love remains.