Merlyn Harold Swehla, Sr., age 80 of rural Alden, died

Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007, at Albert Lea Medical Center from complications due to congestive heart failure and emphysema. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Alden United Methodist Church in Alden with the Rev. Cherie Daniel officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells and one hour prior to services at the church. Burial will be in Alden Cemetery with military honors by the Freeborn County Veterans Service Organization.

Merlyn was born on Oct. 22, 1926, in Albert Lea, the son of Leo A. and Bernice (Powers) Swehla. He was raised in Albert Lea until he moved with his family to a farm near Alden. He attended school at Abbot Grade School in Albert Lea and graduated from Alden High School in 1944. He married Marjorie Anna Skov on June 6, 1954, in Alden. He worked for Alvin Schmidt as a farm hand, at Smith-Douglas as a maintenance man for 21 1/2 years, for Pete the Welder, and at Queen Stove/Lou Rich as a maintenance man until his retirement in 1992. Merlyn served his country in World War II from March 1945 until July 1945 as a M-1 Rifle Marksman. While in the service he contracted rheumatic fever and was medically discharged. He was a lifetime member of the Alden United Methodist Church and the Alden American Legion Post. He enjoyed gardening, raising cows, pigs and chickens, tinkering with and fixing anything that was broken, collecting old John Deere tractors and repairing old and new clocks and watches. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with and picking on his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Merlyn will be sadly missed by his loving family and friends. His wife of 53 years Marjorie Swehla of Alden; three children: Wendy (Bruce) Niebuhr of Alden, Cynthia (Terry) Schroeder of Wells, Merlyn (Lori) Swehla Jr. of Alden; eleven grandchildren: Miranda (Tim) Sailor, Conger; Aurora (Jeremy) Grunzke, Minnesota Lake; Tessa (Nathaniel) Cummings, Wells; Spencer Niebuhr, Alden; Mark (Tina) Schroeder, Wells; Lisa (Shaun) Olson, Wells; Derek (Jessica) Schroeder, Wells; Heather (Mike) Obermeyer, Walters; Tiffany Swehla, Wells and special friend Adam Evans of Albert Lea; Brady Swehla, Alden; &8220;Trae&8221; Merlyn Swehla III, Alden; 17 great-grandchildren: Coltin, Logan, Gage, Shayanne, Payton Sailor; Mayson, Cearra, Vivian Grunzke; Baby Cummings due in April; Drew, Trevor, Karli Schroeder, Hayley, Hannah and Baby Olson due in November; Cole and Taylor Schroeder; two sisters: Violet Wangen of Albert Lea and Leona Schaeffer of Des Moines, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Gerald and Leo F. &8220;Bud&8221;; brothers-in-law: Raymond Wangen and Harold Shaeffer, father and mother-in-law: Harold and Erna Skov.

Blessed be his memory. Have a safe journey home. We love you!