Merle Richard Trelow, 89, of Mt. Leonard, MO, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on January 3, 2024.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 11, 2024, at Mt. Leonard Baptist Church with Rev. Jacob Basnight and Rev. Paul Nachtigall officiating. Burial with military rites will follow at the Missouri State Veterans’ Cemetery in Higginsville. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Mt. Leonard Baptist Church and an online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com
Born October 26, 1934, in Gilliam, MO, he was the son of the late William JB Trelow and Sadie Bell Sleeper Trelow. At the age of 18 months, at the death of his father in 1936, he went to live with his Uncle Lonnie and Aunt Lutie Sims in Elmwood. He attended Mt. Zion Grade School for three years and then, after moving near Mt. Leonard, he finished grade school at Mt. Leonard Grade School and then graduated from Malta Bend High School in 1952.
Merle was drafted into the Army in 1958 and was stationed in Munich, Germany until 1960, when he returned home to farm in rural Mt. Leonard. He attended and served in the Mt. Leonard Baptist Church from 1942 until his death. He served as a deacon and was proud to have served as the church treasurer for over 60 years. Merle met the love of his life, Evonne Hester, when she moved to Mt. Leonard in 1962, and they were married on October 26, 1963. Yes, on his birthday. They celebrated 60 years of marriage on October 26, 2023. Merle and Evonne made their home in Mt. Leonard and attended and served in the Mt. Leonard Baptist Church. Merle worked for Con-Agra Frozen Foods in Marshall from 1978 and retired in 2006. He also served on and off as the Mt. Leonard Chairman of the Board for over 40 years.
In addition to his wife, Evonne; he is survived by a son, David R. Trelow (Tammy) of Marshall; a daughter, Cheryl D. Trelow of Warrensburg; five grandchildren: Candace Ellensohn (Eric), Nicholas Payne (Lauren), Nathan Trelow (Heather), Alexandria Trelow and Timothy Trelow (Becky); 11 great-grandchildren: Brooklynn Payne, Jayci Trelow, Kaylin Ellensohn, Laila Trelow, Ayden Ellensohn, Mayli Trelow, Whitli Trelow, Noah Trelow, Liam Payne, Bennett Payne and Graham Payne; two sisters-in-law, Christa Trelow of O’Fallon, IL and Ann Trelow of LaMonte; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Merle was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, Walter Scott; Uncle Lonnie and Aunt Lutie Sims; a sister, Betty M. O’Halloran (Frank); two brothers. Bill Trelow and Gene Trelow; and cousins, Frank Sims (Frances) and Kenneth Sims (Loula Rae).
Merle now rests in eternal peace with our Lord and Savior in Heaven.