Merle L. Spaulding, 90, of Harlingen, Texas and Berrien Springs, Michigan, died Sunday, July 25, 2010 at La Hacienda Healthcare Center in Harlingen following an illness.
Merle was born April 22, 1920 in Berrien Springs to Harold F. and Ruth C. (Ingelright) Spaulding. He was a 1938 graduate of Berrien Springs High School and was awarded the first Future Farmers of America Scholarship in Berrien County. He later attended Michigan State University. Merle worked as a fruit farmer in Berrien Springs and later a grain farmer in Eau Claire, Michigan.
In 1956 he moved from Berrien Springs to Harlingen, Texas, where he purchased City News & Drug Store. He built the store up in and had the largest selection of paperback books and magazines in South Texas. Due his love for cameras and photograpy, he later opened the City Camera Store and managed both until his retirement in 1985 when he moved back to Michigan to live near his family. Every year, however, he returned to Harlingen, but only as a winter Texan.
Merle is survived by his daughter, Carol A. (Bob) Petty of Chandler, Arizona; two sisters, Georgia Harner of Berrien Springs and Fern Williams of Bridgman, Michigan; two grandchildren, Randall Bos and Philip (Grace) Bos of Lousiville, Kentucky; five great grandchildren; three nieces and three nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a baby sister, Cecile Spaulding; two adult sisters, Lois Briney and Laura Sunday; a nephew Lynn Harner; and his wife, Sarah (Garza) Spaulding.
A funeral service celebrating his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 30, at Legacy Family Funeral Services- Matthew R. Purchase Chapel, Berrien Springs. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Merle was born April 22, 1920 in Berrien Springs to Harold F. and Ruth C. (Ingelright) Spaulding. He was a 1938 graduate of Berrien Springs High School and was awarded the first Future Farmers of America Scholarship in Berrien County. He later attended Michigan State University. Merle worked as a fruit farmer in Berrien Springs and later a grain farmer in Eau Claire, Michigan.
In 1956 he moved from Berrien Springs to Harlingen, Texas, where he purchased City News & Drug Store. He built the store up in and had the largest selection of paperback books and magazines in South Texas. Due his love for cameras and photograpy, he later opened the City Camera Store and managed both until his retirement in 1985 when he moved back to Michigan to live near his family. Every year, however, he returned to Harlingen, but only as a winter Texan.
Merle is survived by his daughter, Carol A. (Bob) Petty of Chandler, Arizona; two sisters, Georgia Harner of Berrien Springs and Fern Williams of Bridgman, Michigan; two grandchildren, Randall Bos and Philip (Grace) Bos of Lousiville, Kentucky; five great grandchildren; three nieces and three nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a baby sister, Cecile Spaulding; two adult sisters, Lois Briney and Laura Sunday; a nephew Lynn Harner; and his wife, Sarah (Garza) Spaulding.
A funeral service celebrating his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 30, at Legacy Family Funeral Services- Matthew R. Purchase Chapel, Berrien Springs. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Merle L. Spaulding, 90, of Harlingen, Texas and Berrien Springs, Michigan, died Sunday, July 25, 2010 at La Hacienda Healthcare Center in Harlingen following an illness.
Merle was born April 22, 1920 in Berrien Springs to Harold F. and Ruth C. (Ingelright) Spaulding. He was a 1938 graduate of Berrien Springs High School and was awarded the first Future Farmers of America Scholarship in Berrien County. He later attended Michigan State University. Merle worked as a fruit farmer in Berrien Springs and later a grain farmer in Eau Claire, Michigan.
In 1956 he moved from Berrien Springs to Harlingen, Texas, where he purchased City News & Drug Store. He built the store up in and had the largest selection of paperback books and magazines in South Texas. Due his love for cameras and photograpy, he later opened the City Camera Store and managed both until his retirement in 1985 when he moved back to Michigan to live near his family. Every year, however, he returned to Harlingen, but only as a winter Texan.
Merle is survived by his daughter, Carol A. (Bob) Petty of Chandler, Arizona; two sisters, Georgia Harner of Berrien Springs and Fern Williams of Bridgman, Michigan; two grandchildren, Randall Bos and Philip (Grace) Bos of Lousiville, Kentucky; five great grandchildren; three nieces and three nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a baby sister, Cecile Spaulding; two adult sisters, Lois Briney and Laura Sunday; a nephew Lynn Harner; and his wife, Sarah (Garza) Spaulding.
A funeral service celebrating his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 30, at Legacy Family Funeral Services- Matthew R. Purchase Chapel, Berrien Springs. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Merle was born April 22, 1920 in Berrien Springs to Harold F. and Ruth C. (Ingelright) Spaulding. He was a 1938 graduate of Berrien Springs High School and was awarded the first Future Farmers of America Scholarship in Berrien County. He later attended Michigan State University. Merle worked as a fruit farmer in Berrien Springs and later a grain farmer in Eau Claire, Michigan.
In 1956 he moved from Berrien Springs to Harlingen, Texas, where he purchased City News & Drug Store. He built the store up in and had the largest selection of paperback books and magazines in South Texas. Due his love for cameras and photograpy, he later opened the City Camera Store and managed both until his retirement in 1985 when he moved back to Michigan to live near his family. Every year, however, he returned to Harlingen, but only as a winter Texan.
Merle is survived by his daughter, Carol A. (Bob) Petty of Chandler, Arizona; two sisters, Georgia Harner of Berrien Springs and Fern Williams of Bridgman, Michigan; two grandchildren, Randall Bos and Philip (Grace) Bos of Lousiville, Kentucky; five great grandchildren; three nieces and three nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a baby sister, Cecile Spaulding; two adult sisters, Lois Briney and Laura Sunday; a nephew Lynn Harner; and his wife, Sarah (Garza) Spaulding.
A funeral service celebrating his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 30, at Legacy Family Funeral Services- Matthew R. Purchase Chapel, Berrien Springs. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
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