Merle Dee Krehbiel

MERLE DEE KREHBIEL Merle Dee Krehbiel of Bartlesville passed away on January 25, 2012, having been lovingly cared for by his family and many extraordinary caregivers from Sterling House, Bartlesville Health and Rehab Community, and Comforting Hands Hospice. He was born March 25, 1931, in McPherson, Kansas, 10 minutes after his identical twin brother Verle. As he liked to explain, “Verle was also born in McPherson.” He grew up in rural southeastern Kansas and graduated from Rosalia High School where he sang baritone in a barbershop quartet and worked summers for the Skelly refinery digging ditches and canning oil. He attended El Dorado Junior College and graduated from Emporia State University with a degree in business. Merle was drafted into the army and was stationed in Germany. He traveled widely while he was in Europe, but he was eager to return home to marry Joyce (Lanier) in 1956. He had known of Joyce and the Lanier family, but Joyce was dating his twin Verle. Joyce met Phyllis in college, and Phyllis met Verle. Verle married Phyllis, Merle married Joyce, and as he said, “Verle and I, we both lucked out!” Together Merle and Joyce raised their family. He worked as a financial analyst (in those days called a “credit man”) for Phillips Petroleum Company until his retirement in 1986. Over the years, the family lived in six different states and joined churches in every community in which they lived. At the time of his death, Merle was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Bartlesville and attended the very special Asbury Sunday School Class. From a strong family tradition of service, Merle was very active in a number of nonprofit organizations in the Bartlesville area. He was particularly passionate about assisting those in need of housing (Habitat for Humanity, Homes for the Homeless and the Alliance for the Mentally Ill Properties), Business Guidance for small business owners, Women and Children’s issues, Transportation projects, and Character Education. He was a devoted Rotarian. Merle enjoyed all types of music, and we remember with fondness his harmonica concerts, his ukulele, the hootenannies, the barbershop SPEBSQSA years, his baritone in the church choirs, and his rendition of “Old Man River” around the piano at home. Merle loved black walnut ice cream, arguing politics, Gunsmoke reruns, photography, slow-pitch softball, and car races. His affinity for automobiles was lifelong, and he was always able to answer the tough questions in the monthly Hemmings Motor News. But above all, and for all his adult years, Merle was a devotee of Albert Schweitzer and his teachings of reverence for life. Merle is survived by two daughters and two sons-in-law, Gina and Chris Koeppl (Wisconsin) and Lori and Dan Tennimon (Alabama), two miracle granddaughters, Carson and Shelby, older brother Theron (Phyllis), twin brother Verle (Phyllis), sister Jerri (Charles Rang), brother-in-law Mike Lanier and Mike’s family, and many other special family members and friends. He loved his family and friends with all his heart. He was preceded in death by his wife Joyce, a son Mark, and by his parents, Walter (“Knip”) and Esther Kaufman Krehbiel. His departure from our physical world creates a void in all our lives. We are grateful for his example of faith, service, lifelong learning, and self-responsibility. Merle’s life will be celebrated in a funeral service on Monday January 30 at 11 am held at First United Methodist Church at 500 S. Johnstone Street in Bartlesville with Dr. Kevin Tully officiating. Interment will be immediately after at Memorial Park Cemetery on Nowata Road I Bartlesville under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home and Crematory. The family requests that any donations be made to the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, the Bishop Owen Scholarship Fund through Oklahoma Wesleyan University, or Comforting Hands Hospice. PDF Printable Version

Merle Dee Krehbiel

March 25, 1931 - January 25, 2012