Ahrendsen, Merlin K.

Merlin K. Ahrendsen, 87, of Olin, died Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa. A celebration of his life service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at Lahey Funeral Home in Olin. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be held in the Olin Cemetery.

Merlin K. Ahrendsen was born April 8, 1923, in rural Olin, Iowa, son of August and Irma (Nissen) Ahrendsen. He graduated from Olin High School in 1941. He married Leona “Jeanne” Engelbart on Dec. 14, 1945, at the Wayne Zion Methodist Church in Monticello. He farmed many years, worked at Gray's Cashway Lumber in Olin, and was a groundskeeper for Wapsipinicon State Park for 17 years. He was a member of the Olin Community United Methodist Church. Merlin loved to drink coffee and play euchre with his friends in the afternoons.

Merlin is survived by his wife, Leona “Jeanne” Ahrendsen of Olin; his children, Linda (Charles) Abel of Coralville,

Brad Ahrendsen of Olin, Brian (Sara) Ahrendsen of North Liberty, and Jill (Greg) Eganhouse of Olin; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and three brothers, Lowell (Wanda) Ahrendsen of Rochester, N.Y., Norman (Marge) Ahrendsen of Anamosa, and Gayle (Pauline) Ahrendsen of Monticello.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials are preferred.

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