Married Nellie Mae Thornton November 19, 1916 in Greene County, Missouri.
Children: Gladys Mae, Edward Lewis.

Married Syble Elizabeth Coy August 20, 1921 in Johnson County, Missouri.
Children: Joyce, David, Troy, Wayne, Treva.

Baptized as Ildephons Mertel in 1905 in the Catholic Church in Meta, Missouri. Was known as Ildia and as a young man gave himself his middle name as Anthony.

Half brother to Mary Alice, Victory Josephine Sweaney.

Half brother to Henry Edgar, Elsie Mertel; Charles, Mary, John, James, Fred Mertell.

He left the family home located about five miles west of Meta, Missouri at age fourteen when his dad told him to walk to Meta to get him a newspaper. He hopped the train there and went to live with his brother, Henry Edgar in Springfield, Missouri. Ten years later he returned to visit his family and delivered to his father the newspaper he bought in Meta ten years earlier.

In about 1920 he moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he was introduced to Syble Coy by her sister, Esther.

Ildia was a carpenter by trade and a fisherman, gardener and horseshoe pitcher by choice.

He was a charter and lifetime member of the local carpenter's union in Independence, Missouri. He worked on construction of many buildings in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. During the depression era, he was paid ten cents an hour and never missed a days work.

He had a remarkable gift of gab and was a great story teller and was known for his good strong laugh. He was referred to by most everyone by his nickname of Hap or Happy.

His daily and favorite finish to any meal was a plate full of cane sorghum which he ate by dabbing it up with a piece or two of bread. His only vice was a a little "chaw" of Mickey Twist tobacco. He died peacefully in his sleep at age 93.

Photos: top age 21; below 50th wedding anniversary with wedding photos in background.

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Obituary: Examiner, Independence, Missouri:
Ildia A. Mertell, ninety-three, Independence, died on Friday May 5, 1989 at the Carmel Hills Living Center, 200 S. Crane Street.

Mr. Mertell was born in St. Elizabeth, Missouri and was a lifelong area resident. He was a carpenter for Local No. 1329 for more than fifty years, a charter member, and the only living member of the charter group. He was a member of the Rockwood Baptist church.

His survivors include his wife, Syble E. Mertell of the home; three sons, David I. Mertell, Independence; Troy A. Mertell, Wapato, Washington; and Wayne R. Mertell, North Kansas City, Missouri; three daughters, Joyce E. Potts, Independence; Treva L. Poe, Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Gladys M. Shockley, Wichita, Kansas; a sister, Mary Vaughn, Vienna, Missouri, twenty three grandchildren; thirty-eight great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be 11 a.m., Tuesday at Newcomer's Ott & Mitchell Chapel; burial in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Kansas City.