Funeral services for Merlin R. Wallin, age 82, of Glenville will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at First Lutheran Church in Glenville. The Rev. Mark Wendland will officiate. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Military honors will be accorded by the area servicemen’s organizations. Visitation is 5-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home, and one hour prior to the services at the church.

Merlin died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003, at the Albert Lea Medical Center.

Merlin Rea Wallin was born Feb. 23, 1920, to Rea Loen and Mary (Lilleskau) Wallin on the family farm near Glenville. He attended the Kalstad School, District #65. Merlin served in the United States Army during World War II from October 1941 to November 1944. On June 20, 1946, he was united in marriage to Susie VandeKamp at the Hollandale Reformed Church. Merlin was a member of First Lutheran Church in Glenville. He had been a farmer all his life and a school bus driver for the Glenville-Emmons School District for 35 years. Merlin served on the church council and faithfully supported his wife in her church teaching duties. Merlin loved fishing, hunting and traveling and especially enjoyed his family, relatives, and friends.

Survivors include his wife, Susie of Glenville; daughters: Marilyn and her husband Michael Hirschey of Albertville, and Shirley and her husband Robert Newman of Alden; grandchildren: Lori and husband John Krull of Elkton, Lisa and husband Joe Carda of Janesville, Alison Newman of Alden, and Craig and Jon Hirschey, both of Albertville; brothers: Verl and wife Vera of Glenville, Lyle and wife Arlene of Glenville, Dale and wife Irma of Northwood, Iowa, and Arlo and wife Julie of Glenville; sister, Violet and husband Eddie Hanssen of Glenville; several brothers- and sisters-in-law; and a host of nieces and nephews and many friends.

Merlin was preceded in death by his parents, Rea and Mary Wallin; father- and mother-in-law, Henry and Nellie VandeKamp; brothers- and sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.