Della Margaret Merrill

Della Margaret Galbraith Merrill, age 94, of Menan, Idaho, passed away peacefully Sunday March 1, 2015 surrounded by her loving family at the Rexburg Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rexburg, Idaho. She and her husband were long time residents of Annis, Idaho and had just recently moved to Menan, Idaho. Della was born December 12, 1920 at Lyman, Idaho a daughter of John Herbert Galbraith and Ida Mae Barber Galbraith. She grew up on the farm in Lyman, Idaho and attended schools in Lyman, and Madison High School in Rexburg, Idaho. She married William (Bill) Wilson and they later divorced. She then married Lloyd Crystal Merrill, August 18, 1947 in Driggs, Idaho. They have been married for 67 ½ years. She went to work during WWII for Boeing Aircraft at Tacoma, Washington as a rivet supply clerk and was in charge of all rivet sizes and had to provide the correct rivets as they were requested for the manufacturing of bomber and fighter plane wings. Some family members would refer to her as “Rosie the Riveter.” Later she worked for the Kings Store in Rexburg, Idaho, for Hancock & Clifford Potato Warehouse and with her husband on their farm in Annis, Idaho. She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers - Cedar Butte Camp. She was instrumental in getting the D.U.P Marker and old school bell placed at the Annis Little Butte Cemetery. She was a life time member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary and a member of the LDS Church. She enjoyed quilting and during her lifetime had made hundreds of quilts. She also enjoyed embroidery, crafts and rock collecting. She collected salt and pepper shaker sets, souvenir spoons and thimbles that her family brought her from all over the world. She loved her flower garden and took great delight in showing her beautiful flower varieties of white lilies and naked ladies to everyone who came by to visit. She loved to cook and you never came to her house that you weren’t offered fresh bread, cake or cookies. She also loved taking pictures and doing family history and made many books filled with pictures and histories. Survivors include her husband, Lloyd C. Merrill of Menan, Idaho, two daughters, JoAnn (Virgil) Anderson of Burley, Idaho and Lucinda “Cindy” (Dan) Young of Derry, New Hampshire, two sons, Nolan (Sheila) Merrill of Salt Lake City, Utah and Warren (Paula Jo) Merrill of Menan, Idaho, two sisters, Mae Geisler of Pocatello, Idaho and LaRue Palmer of Rexburg, Idaho, two brothers Clinton (Dorothy) Galbraith of Rigby, Idaho and Garold (Helen) Galbraith of Provo, Utah, 16 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers LeRoy and Dorald, a son Johnny Wilson and a son-in-law Ronnie D. Hewitt. Funeral services will be held Friday March 6, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at Eckersell Memorial Chapel 101 West Main Street, Rigby. The family will visit with friends Thursday March 5th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the family home (3586 East 640 North, Menan, Idaho) and on Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Annis Little Butte Cemetery.