Alice L. Merker

On February 18, 2015, Alice Louise Davis Merker, 89 of Newton, GA, passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter, Cyndie, in Eau Claire, WI. Alice was born in Corydon, IN, to Hubert Alfred Davis and Minnie Agnes Cole Davis on January 17, 1926. Humble beginnings and her formative years being during the Great Depression; Alice never took anything for granted. Upon completion of high school, she joined the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. During this period of war time, she met and married Robert Andrew Merker on February 1, 1946, in Louisville, KY. Together Alice and Bob had seven children, Rand Russell, Dinah Anne (Gordon) Landers of Eugene, OR, Louise Marie (James) Patt of Beach Park, IL, Robert John (Kris) of Elmwood, WI, Mark Andrew (deceased), Alice Katrina, and Cynthia Susan (Jay) Bune. Early years of marriage were spent in Chicago until Alice and Bob built their first home in Northbrook, IL. During an enriched life as the wife of a busy contractor and life of raising children in a growing suburb, Alice spent a significant amount of time volunteering. Alice was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, was a den mother for the Boy Scouts and was Neighborhood Chairman for the Girl Scouts. She was also part of the Mission Hills Civic Association and was formally recognized by the association for her efforts. She volunteered as a member of the United Methodist Church, the American Legion Auxiliary, as well as served as Republican precinct captain. She was a devoted wife, and was Bob's right hand. Alice was devoted to family, and was devastated by the loss of her oldest son, Rand, in Vietnam in 1969. In 1974, the Merkers moved to Elmwood, WI, to a farm outside of town. There, Bob continued contracting and Alice added to their already growing flock of animals. Alice had a knack for raising beef cattle, goats, chickens and other farm animals. She had a tough time utilizing her own stock, as each and every creature she had made her pet. Throughout her life, Alice loved all animals. Whether it was an anemic kitten she hand fed, caring for a wound on a pet rabbit, making a “bra” from an old linen tablecloth for a freshened nanny goat or rescuing a flea-bitten puppy left by a garbage dumpster; all of her animals adored her for her love and attention and became devoted to her. Alice also had a talent for gardening, which she put to good use during tough times when contracting jobs were beginning to get scarce. Alice and Bob converted their energies to develop a process to distill ethanol from spent brewer’s yeast, as well as provide to the market a high quality dried brewer’s yeast that they were proud of. They moved their business to southern Georgia, and after a couple years in the Cordele, GA, area they moved to the area of Camilla, GA. During this period, and with fear for their beloved country slipping quickly into debt, Alice worked passionately beside Bob, as he was the president of the Reform Party of the State of Georgia. This hard work came with the hopes that a sharp businessman in office would be of benefit instead of “just another politician.” Alice enjoyed the hobbies of flower arranging, antiquing, fishing and boating. Even if Alice could not be on the boat, she had a reputation as a fisherman who even caught a tarpon from a bridge with a cane pole. Alice also loved to write, and her collections included A Bouquet of Poems of Life, Animals of Wind Gap Farm, and Expressions of our Ancestors, with the last having been written with her dear friend, Vera Springer. Alice participated in the Camilla Garden Club, The Flint River Keepers, and was a member of the Camilla United Methodist Church. After the death of her husband, and in order to "keep busy" Alice participated in acting and film production classes and earned her certificate of achievement from the Henny Penny Video Production Studio. “Not bad for an old lady” she would say. Her final years were spent quietly in the river front home that she loved. She was dubbed “Ms. Daisy” by her girls that assisted her in her final years. Alice is survived by one son, Bob, and four daughters, Dinah, Louise, Katrina and Cyndie; her brother Joseph Davis from Louisville, KY; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; two sons, Rand and Mark; son-in-law, Gordon Landers; her brothers, John, James and Earl Davis, as well as her two sisters, Agnes Babcock and Alma Davis. Entombment will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery in Chicago, IL, on Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at 1:00 pm. Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral & Cremation Services of Eau Claire, WI, assisted her family. The family would like to extend special thanks to Andy, Michele and Vicky Belinc and family, Brenda Brossman, Jennifer Mulero, Mr. Jud Vann, Nancy and her family from Yellow Dog Kennel, Annie Felton, Mr. Mark Majors, Mr. Charles Humphries, The Newton Fire Department, Albany Home Health and Hospice, St. Croix Home Health and Hospice, the staff from Visiting Angels and Rescare, and the many friends, church and club members who helped her in her past years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be dedicated to The Humane Society of the United States, The Newton Fire Department via the Southwest Georgia Bank in Newton, or The Alzheimer’s Association.

Service Information

Cemetery

Oak Hill Cemetery
11900 S. Kedzie Ave.
Chicago IL

Graveside Service

Wednesday, February 25 2015
1:00 PM

Oak Hill Cemetery
11900 S. Kedzie Ave.
Chicago IL