John "Jack" Robert Mernin

John "Jack" R. Mernin, age 90, of Newell, Iowa died Saturday, August 8, 2020 at his home in Newell. Private family services will take place Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Burial will be in the Varina Cemetery. To watch the live stream of the service, please use the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87996560445. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. John Robert Mernin was born January 12, 1930 at the Swallum Hospital in Storm Lake, Iowa to Clarence and Kathryn (Sennett) Mernin. He attended St. Mary’s School until the second grade when the family moved to the farm by Sulphur Springs homesteaded by his grandfather. He finished his education at Providence Consolidated School in Sulphur Springs. He played basketball and baseball and met his future wife, Dorothy Gerjets, while in the 6th grade and she was in 5th grade. Their friendship blossomed one cold night after a basketball game when he asked to take her home. That lead to dating, love, and marriage on January 23, 1947. The marriage lasted 73 ½ years until his death August 8, 2020. Jack and Dorothy moved in 1951 to the family farm and lived there 41 years. They retired to their current home in Newell in 1993. Jack worked at Wilsons Foods in Cherokee for 23 years while also farming. Family meant the world to Jack and surviving him is his wife Dorothy, daughters: Linda (Mike) Diehl of Newark, Delaware; Joleen (Larry) Peters of Rembrandt; Joyce (John) Landgraf of Storm Lake; son, John (Kay) Mernin of Newell. Also surviving are 9 grandchildren: Todd (Stacy) Diehl, Troy (Claire) Diehl, Tia Rupp, Heather Baier, Chad Peters, Nick (Tanya) Landgraf, Lindsay (Tom) Ries, Devin (Bailey) Landgraf, and Trevor Landgraf; 20 beloved great grandchildren also survive as well as sister, Cecelia Foust of East Moline, Illinois and sister-in-law, Corleine Mernin of Yankton, South Dakota. Jack is also survived by nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Jack was preceded in death by his parents; father and mother-in-law, Enno and Alma Gerjets; brothers and sisters-in-law, Gerald and Dorthe Mernin; Joe Mernin, and Tom and Dee Mernin; brother-in-law Leo Foust; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bud and LaVonne Gerjets. He will be greatly missed by all.

John "Jack" Robert Mernin

January 12, 1930 - August 8, 2020