Merle J. DeFoe

Merle J. DeFoe, age 69, of Eau Claire, Wisc., left this world to sing in Godís choir on Monday, Sept. 2, 2002 after a long, courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church with Pastor Rolf Nestigen officiating. Burial will at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in North Branch, Minn.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 at Stokes & Mundt Funeral Chapel, 535 S. Hillcrest Parkway, Altoona, Wisc. and at the church on Friday, one hour prior to the service. Stokes and Mundt Funeral Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
Merle was born on Feb. 24, 1933 in New Hampton, IA, the youngest of three children, to Sena (Jacobson) and Horace DeFoe. He graduated from North Branch High School with the class of 1952. HE attended St. Olaf College for two years, served in the Army and upon returning attended Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minneapolis.
Merle married Lois G. Edwardson on July 16, 1956 in North Branch, Minn. at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Merle spent two years in the U.S. Army Signal Corps (17th Signal Battalion, Germany) supplying land and radio communication for U.S. and British Army units. Merle was a radio personality at WEAQ in Eau Claire for 37 years.
Merle served as president of the PTAs at Longfellow, Sam Davey, DeLong and North High Schools. He was a troop leader for the Cub and Boy Scouts, 4-H leader at Epiphany Lutheran Church, president of Grace Lutheran Church, and served on many church and civic committees.
Merle and Lois have been members of Grace Lutheran Church for 42 years. Their love for Grace Church has been expressed in many ways. Grace Church as given them their strength.
Merle is lovingly survived by his wife, Lois; four children, Denise (Gene) Hanson, Eau Claire, Wisc., David DeFoe of Apple Valley, Minn., Daniel (Reggie) DeFoe of Farmington, Minn., and Dalen (Lynn) DeFoe of Chanhassen, Minn.; seven grandchildren, Andrew and Amanda Hanson, Ben, Jeremy and Cassie DeFoe of Farmington, and Nathan and Katie DeFoe of Chanhassen; a brother Stanley (Bonnie) DeFoe of Lomita, Calif., and a sister, Melba (Richard) Lembrick of Bemidji, Minn. In addition Merle will be sadly missed by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins throughout the United States.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sena and Horace DeFoe.

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