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Rogers Co. Obit for: Joseph Daniel "J.D." Merkle 
Submitted to the Rogers County Oklahoma Archives 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/rogers/rogers.htm
Rogers County Archivist: Bill Cook, wcook14024@aol.com
Date: 4/30/2002               by: Bill Cook, wcook14024@aol.com
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Originally published on Wednesday 17 April 

Joseph Daniel "J.D." Merkle

Services for J.D. Merkle will be 2 p.m. Friday, April 19, 2002 in The Church of 
the Nazarene, where he 
has been a faithful member for many years. Interment will follow at Woodlawn 
Cemetery, under the 
direction of Rice Funeral Service. Friends may visit at the funeral home from 8 
a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 
with family members there to receive friends from 6-8 p.m. 
On Tuesday, April 16, 2002, J.D. went to be with the Lord he had so faithfully 
served since he was saved 
at the age of nine. He was 78. Born March 11, 1924 in Mulhall, Okla., J.D. was 
the son of Albert and 
Dahlly Schaal Merkle. He grew up and was educated in his birth community, 
graduating from Mulhall High 
School. He then attended Southern Nazarene University in Bethany for a brief 
time before entering the 
U.S. Army. He served in World War II in the Philippines and in the occupation of 
Germany after the war. 
Following his honorable discharge, J.D. returned to Oklahoma, making his home in 
Perry, where he began 
what would become a lifelong career in the dairy business.

While living and working in Perry, J.D. was introduced to Cora Robertson, and on 
April 17, 1948, the 
two were married at Mulhall. For the next few months, he worked in the oil 
fields. Then, he would 
introduce his new bride - a city girl herself - to the wonderful benefits of 
country living as J.D. 
purchased a dairy herd. In October of 1950, they came to Claremore. They rented 
a farm until 1954, 
when they bought their own farm. This has been home ever since.

J.D. and Cora were a good team in business and in family life. They were such 
proud parents of their two 
sons, Jerry and Gary, and as the boys married and had children of their own, 
grandparenting was a perfect 
fit. A man of great integrity, J.D. managed both his professional and personal 
life with the character 
exemplifying a committed Christian man. There was success in both areas of his 
life because of the blessing 
this way of life brought.

J.D. was once honored as Mr. Livestock of Rogers County. He and his family also 
were named Rogers 
County Farm Bureau Family one year, and he was a member of the Rogers County 
Farm Bureau, serving 
on the board for many years.

J.D. is survived by his wife Cora of their home in Claremore; sons, Jerry Merkle 
and wife Linda and Gary 
and wife Glenda, all of Claremore; grandchildren, Jeremy Merkle and wife Ceara 
of Broken Arrow, 
Angela Merkle, a student of Southern Nazarene University and Sara Merkle of 
Claremore; his siblings and 
their spouses, Alberta and Jack Caldwell of Tulsa, James and Mary Merkle of 
Midwest City, George and 
Mildred Merkle of Tulsa and Richard and Dorothy Merkle of Colorado Springs, 
Colo.; sister-in-law, 
Wilma Merkle of Tulsa; and his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by 
his parents; brothers 
Charles and Herbert; and his sister Violet.

Those who wish to honor J.D.'s memory may do so by contributing to the 
Compassionate Ministries, an 
organization that feeds hungry children, at Compassionate Ministries, General 
Treasurer, Church of the 
Nazarene, 6401 Paseo Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64131-1284.

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We thank the Claremore Progess Newspaper for allowing us to post these obits on
the Rogers Co., OK USGenwebpages
http://www.claremoreprogress.com/
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