Merle Woodward

January 17, 1920 - June 1, 2013

Clarence Merle ?Red? Woodward Born: January 17, 1920 Bedford, Iowa Married: September 18, 1948 Sydney, Iowa Deceased: May 23, 3013 Auburn, Nebraska Merle was born January 17, 1920, northwest of Bedford, Iowa to parents Clarence E. Woodward and Zoe Adel Nethers Woodward. Merle was their first-born. Early pictures were always taken with pumpkins around him. Merle was blessed with beautiful red hair, thus being nicknamed ?Red?. Merle helped with chores and worked the farm as his dad was in the Veteran?s hospital for many years. Merle was drafted into the Navy in 1946. Merle spent much of his military career on ships. He contracted scarlet fever causing the loss of his beautiful red hair. Due to the disease, he was honorably discharged in 1947 from the Navy. Merle went to work for a farmer, Bill Winstrand, in Essex, Iowa, which is where he met Florence Conradt. Merle and Florence were married on September 18, 1948, in Sydney Iowa. The newly married couple moved to Nebraska. Merle took a job with the state of Nebraska mowing and taking care of road right-of-ways. Merle retired in 1989 after 40 years of employment with the State of Nebraska. Merle mowed yards and helped with gardens to pass his retirement years. Merle and Florence both enjoyed baseball and attended many Kansas City Royals games along with various games in other cities. While Merle and Florence had no children of their own, they immensely enjoyed their nieces and nephews. Florence passed away on January 10. 2003, after a long illness. Merle passed many hours watching sports; he especially enjoyed the Royals baseball and Kansas basketball. He enjoyed visiting with people and talking about baseball and basketball. Merle continued to live in their home in Auburn and volunteered at the at meal site. In 2008, a fire took Merle?s apartment and destroyed all of his belongings; the Red Cross assisted him in finding a new home at the assisted-living apartments in Auburn. Merle was preceded in death by his wife Florence Woodward, his parents Clarence and Zoe Woodward, his sister Doris Peterson and a brother Wayne Woodward. Left to cherish his memory is his sister, Betty Glass of Bedford Iowa, three sister-in-laws, Norma Jean Swanson of Lincoln, Nebraska, Maxine Howard of Warsaw, Missouri, and Mary Ann Gardner of Marshall, Missouri, numerous nieces and nephews, and an abundance of friends. Merle will be laid to rest in the Sheridan Cemetery in Auburn Nebraska, on June 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.