Stella Merkel

Aberdeen, SD-Funeral Service for Stella Nadine Merkel, 80, of Aberdeen will be 10:30 am, Wednesday, November 24, 2021, at Carlsen Funeral Home and Crematory. Rev. Mark Galbraith will officiate.

Burial will be in Riverside Memorial Cemetery.

Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Stella was called to eternal rest on November 16, 2021, at Bethesda Home of Aberdeen.

Stella Nadine Nies was born September 5, 1941, at Ashley, ND. She was the first child born to Walter and Claira (Stoecker) Nies. She grew up in the Ashley area.

Stella was united in marriage to James E. Merkel on September 4, 1960. They lived in Aberdeen, SD. They owned a retail business together for 19 years. She enjoyed later in life working as Office Manager, Bookkeeper for Lakeside Dairy, for 15 years. Stella then retired to enjoy life with family spending time with her children and friends at their cabin at Whitlock Bay and wintering in Mesa, AZ. She was thankful for the great friends and family she had. Stella was very artistic, enjoying ceramics, arts and crafts, woodworking, travel, and gardening.

Stella will be missed by all who know her. She leaves to cherish her memory a loving husband, James E. Merkel; son, Scott Merkel, and his family, Denielle (Kyle) Olson (Bennett, Grayson, Layken), Tannor Merkel and Landon Merkel; daughter, Sara (Rick) Black, and her family, Cherie Anhorn and Dylan Anhorn; daughter, Sherri (Kent) Blanchard, and her family, Evan Blanchard and Kalea Blanchard; daughter, Sue (Jake) Huggins, and her family, Payton Huggins and Mason Huggins. Also survived by her siblings, Roger (Gloria Espeseth) Nies, Tim (Jill) Nies, Roszella (Paul) Hanson, Connie (Duane) Barden, and Curtis (Wanda Schlabsz) Nies and sister-in-law, Mary Jane Oster.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Claira and brother, Rayton Nies.

The family prefers memorials to the donor’s choice.

Carlsen Funeral Home and Crematory of Aberdeen has been entrusted with arrangements.

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