Ron Merchen, 85

Ron Merchen, age 85, of Winner, passed away on Sept. 30, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. Funeral service were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017 at the Assembly of God Church in Winner. Burial followed at the Winner City Cemetery.
Arthur Ronald Merchen was born on Aug. 15, 1932 to William Merchen and Josephine (Cummings) Merchen in Witten, South Dakota.

The Merchen family moved to Winner, South Dakota in 1936. Ronnie started school in the first grade in 1938. Ronnie joined the South Dakota National Guard in 1949. Coming home from summer camp, the Korean War was declared and the South Dakota National Guard was activated. Ronnie opted-out of going with the guard unit on duty, so he could finish high school. In 1952, after graduating from high school, he went into the regular Army and went to Fort Benning, Georgia, and volunteered for the Airborne.

Ronnie had a three day pass and went to Lagrange, Georgia to attend church, and there he met his wife to be, Margaret Smith. On Aug. 2, 1953, they were married. To this marriage two sons were born, James Henry Merchen and Earl Frederick Merchen. Ronnie and Margaret lived in Smyrna, Georgia where the boys went to school and were very active in sports, playing basketball, baseball, football, wrestling and soccer. Ronnie and Margaret were very active in their children’s sports. Ronnie officiated football, basketball and umpired baseball at some high schools and small colleges.

When they moved back to Winner in 1974, Ronnie became very involved with basketball and football officiating. After moving back to South Dakota, Ronnie became a truck driver, owning five trucks for a period of time. He traveled all 48 states and Alaska, and all of Canada hauling heavy equipment which he enjoyed very much.

Ronnie and Margaret were members of the Assembly of God Church in Winner. Ronnie is preceded in death by his mother and father; step-father; three sisters Dorothy, Aileen, and Louise; one brother Richard; and oldest son James.

Ron is survived by his son Fritz of Salem, SD; two grandsons Alex of Atlanta, GA, and Kellen of Chicago, Il.; two great-grandsons; one sister Joanne Jerred of Winner; daughter-in-law Dena of Atlanta, GA; and his special friend Joyce Weidner of Winner; and a host of relatives and friends.