Delores June Meerzo, affectionately known by all as Dee, went home to be with her Lord at 7:23 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester, at the age of 94.
She was born on June 29, 1929, in North Muskegon, Mich., to Ann Elizabeth Fechner and Roy Elmer Huntoon. On July 1, 1949, she married Albert Karder Meerzo. They were blessed with 74 years of marriage together, sharing their lives and celebrating so many milestones over the years.
Dee was a 1948 graduate of North Muskegon High School where she put her musical talents to work participating in school plays, musicals and was a very accomplished musician. She was invited to sing for the Lawrence Welk Show and was asked to be in his band. She had a wonderful soprano voice and loved to play the organ at family gatherings. Even her beloved dog, Peggy, would sit beside her and enjoy the music as she played.
She lived and worked in Austin, Texas, from 1973-1993. Over the years, she worked as an x-ray technician, a dental assistant and office manager in Austin, Texas, and West Lafayette. Her favorite job was simply being Mom and raising their three children in West Lafayette and later in life she loved being a grandma and meeting their many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. After retirement she moved to Warsaw in October 1993. Dee and her husband, Al, loved to entertain family and friends at their home. Wherever Dee happened to be, she never knew a stranger and loved to get to know people. She was always the most kind and gracious social butterfly whether she was home in Warsaw or wintering in South Texas, which they did for many years.
Dee loved to praise her Lord singing in the church choir and being in the orchestra. She was a member of Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church since June of 1994. A beautiful soul is now gone home to be with her Lord and Savior, and she will forever be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend who will be dearly missed.
She leaves behind her husband, Albert “Al” K. Meerzo, Warsaw; two sons, Mark (Sharon) Meerzo, North Webster; A. Matthew Meerzo, Syracuse; and her daughter, Margo (Jim) Cooper, Corpus Christi, Texas. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 12 stepgreat-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and four step-great-great-grandchildren; and her sister, Bonnie Sleaford, Hart, Mich. She was preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter, Amanda Meerzo; brother, Loren Huntoon; and her sister, Barbara Rocha.
Dee’s life will be celebrated with a service at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, and officiated by Pastor Andrew Morton of Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 2 to 4 p.m. A private family graveside service will take place at a later date at Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw.
Memorial donations may be directed to Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 210 S. High St., Warsaw, IN 46580; or to Stillwater Hospice, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46814-4202 … please make checks payable to Stillwater Foundation.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.