McMahon, Merle J.

Merle J. McMahon, 79, of Minneapolis, formerly of Fort Dodge, Iowa, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, at the Methodist Hospital in Minneapolis. Funeral services will be 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the chapel of Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home and 10 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church for a Mass of Christian Burial, all in Fort Dodge. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, where there will be a vigil at 7 p.m.

 Merle is survived by his children: daughter, Molly McMahon of Chicago; sons, Peter McMahon of White Fish, Mont., Matthew McMahon and wife Ali of Hoboken, N.J.; a granddaughter, Lilly McMahon of Hoboken, N.J.; a brother, Mert McMahon of Dunedin, Fla.; sisters, Ann Marie Best of Ames, Maureen Hays of Eustis, Fla., Joan Smith of Maple Wood, Minn., and Pate Schuh of Tavares, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mortimer and Alice L. (Hood) McMahon; sisters, Helen Crilly, Catherine O'Neill and Mary Anderson; and brothers, Eugene, James, Hubert, Donald and Robert McMahon.

 Merle J. McMahon was born June 6, 1930, in Webster County. He was raised and educated in Barnum, graduating from Barnum High School in 1948. Merle then attended Fort Dodge Junior College. From 1954 to 1956, he served in the U.S. Army until his honorable discharge. After his discharge, he resumed his education at Creighton University, graduating in 1959. In 1960, he established his home in Minneapolis. Merle was the co-founder of Pries Enterprises Inc. which was established in 1975 in Independence, Iowa and was currently the owner/president. He was a member of Our Lady of Grace Church in Edina, Minn.

 Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.