Jay Merfeld

JAY MERFELD

Cedar Rapids

Jay Dean Merfeld, 57, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke's Hospice, with his loving family by his side. Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 2, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. A private family inurnment will be held in the spring.

Please leave a message, tribute or memory to Jay's family at www.cedar memorial.com under Obituaries.

Jay is survived by his wife of 35 years, Christy Merfeld of Cedar Rapids; three children, Sarah (Clint) Shriver, James Merfeld and Allyson Merfeld, all of Cedar Rapids; his father, Claire (Skip) Merfeld of Sun City, Ariz.; two brothers, Bruce (Peggy) Merfeld of Cedar Falls and Dan (Nancy) Merfeld of Elburn, Ill.; two grandchildren, Matthew and Madyson Shriver; father-in-law, John (Shirley) Laflen of Buffalo Center; three sisters-in-law, Cindy (Christian) Miller of Buffalo Center, Cheri (Laflen) Morrison of Ames and Coral (Jerry) Jordan of Sigel, Pa.; good friends, Wes Boothe of Des Moines and John McGrane of Cedar Rapids; and many hunting friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Alice (Folkerts) Merfeld.

Jay was born Aug. 4, 1957, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Claire (Skip) and Alice Merfeld. He was united in marriage to Christy Laflen on Oct. 27, 1979. Jay worked 35 plus years in the temperature control business.

He loved hunting pheasants, and his dogs, Ellie and Joy. Jay was always on the lookout for a new car for his children, friends and wife. If you knew Jay, you knew he told it like it was, didn't beat around the bush and his favorite saying was "It is what it is!"

Jay will be missed deeply by his friends and family.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Highland Hideaway Hunting, 3127 160th St., Riverside, IA 52327; Aiming for a Cure: www.aimingforacure.com (click under donations); Ronald McDonald House: https://donate.rmhc.org and Pheasants Forever or friends and family can plant a food plot for pheasants.