Meryl Whetstone

Meryl L. Whetstone, 80, of Stuart, Iowa, passed away Sunday, March 4, 2007 at the Kavanagh House in Des Moines.

Meryl LeRoy Whetstone was born March 5, 1926, in Thompson Township near Casey, Iowa, the son of Walter R. and Maggie (Sloss) Whetstone.

He attended rural grade school in Thompson Township, spent one year in the Guthrie Center High School and his last three years at the Casey High School, graduating in 1943.

Meryl served his country in the U.S.Army, serving in Japan during WWII.

He married Esther Tilk and they had two children, Earl and Nancy. He later married Kathleen French and they had a son, Eldon.

He started farming in 1947 and farmed for 50-plus years until his farm sale in 2001. Meryl's life revolved around his farming. He also obtained his pilot's license and enjoyed flying small planes with his brother, Walter. They even dropped newspapers to rural residents around Guthrie County. He once drove his car to Des Moines and traded it for an airplane, which he flew home. The next night, he asked his father to borrow the car to drive into town. His father replied, "Why don't you fly your airplane?".

Meryl was a member of the Casey United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen of Stuart, Iowa; a son, Earl Whetstone and his wife, Tracy of Schaller, Iowa; his daughter, Nancy Whetstone of San Antonio, Texas; and a son, Eldon Whetstone and his wife, Adrienne of Indianapolis, Indiana; four grandchildren, Tiffany, Justin, and Shelby Whetstone, all of Schaller, Iowa, and Thomas Perkins of San Antonio, Texas; three great-grandchildren, Kain, Hennessy, and Ivan, all of Schaller, Iowa; 3 step-children, Karen Hansen of Omaha, Nebraska, Brian Christensen of Glenwood, Iowa, and Craig Christensen of Council Bluffs, Iowa; nine step-grandchildren; his brother, Walter Whetstone and his wife, Elsa of Guthrie Center, Iowa; and a sister, Lucille Ticknor and her husband, Allen of Exira, Iowa; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Meryl was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Maggie Whetstone; three brothers, Kenneth, Burton, and Veryl; and three sisters, Bessie, Marjorie, and Helen.

The family has requested that any memorials given will be used for a future memorial fund in Meryl's memory.