Merwin Fredrick ZILK

1924 - 2016  (91 years)

• Name	Merwin Fredrick ZILK
  Birth	10 Sep 1924	Riceville, Mitchell County, Iowa
  Gender	Male
  Death	7 Apr 2016	Kingwood, Harris County, Texas
  Burial	Garden of Memories, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa
  Notes	Merwin Frederick Zilk, 91, of Porter, Texas, formerly of Evansdale, died Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Kingwood Medical Center in Kingwood, TX.  He was born September 10, 1924 in Riceville, Iowa the son of Frederick William and Ethel Mary (Motley) Zilk.  He married Maxine Moe on August 6, 1950 in LeRoy, Minnesota; she preceded him in death on December 2, 1995.   Merwin (Merv) worked hard all his life.  He was employed at the Lumber yard and Egg Hatchery in LeRoy Mn before his move to the Evansdale/Elk Run Heights area.  In Waterloo he worked for Rath’s as a ham boner for many years and also held part time jobs; building houses in the Elk Run Heights neighborhood, cleaning and maintenance at the Cattle Congress and working for several farmers.  He was a farmer at heart.  He worked in the John Deere Truck Shop for 15 years.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1945-1946.  Merwin was never idle.  He served several terms as a deacon at First Reformed Church of Evansdale, and taught Sunday school a few times.  He was a member of the Friendship Methodist church in Porter Tx.  and also attended services and all kinds of activities with his special friend Louise Haddock at her church and in the mission.  Merv was a collector of many things; rocks, coins, cars, airplanes and farm toys  especially John Deere tractors. He also seemed to collect friends everywhere he went.  It is worthy of note that he also collected the trash cans of everyone in the neighborhood and returned them to their designated places on trash days.  At age 90 he said he was retiring from that self appointed job but continued to do most of the houses on his street and also on Louise’s street.  This “work” paid off in people giving him their cans for recycling. Merv loved riding his bike, playing cards, listening to music, and visiting with people.  He had a great sense of humor. He was an expert driver and taught his sons and some of his grandchildren to drive.  He always knew not only where his car was at but also where each tire was.  If you put a coin in the driveway and said stop the right front tire on that coin he could do it.   Merwin was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Survived by; three sons, Michael (Roxanna) Zilk of Waterloo; William (Lauren) Zilk of Little Rock, Arkansas; David Zilk of Porter, TX; two daughter, Donna (David) Maas of Knoxville, Iowa, Rebecca (Tom) Ortner of Porter, TX; nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Preceded in death by: his parents; his wife; one brother, Charles Zilk and one sister, Wilda Workman.
  Person ID	I23277	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	8 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family	Maxine Elizabeth MOE,   b. 12 May 1926, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa d. 2 Dec 1995 (Age 69 years)
  Marriage	6 Aug 1950	Le Roy, Mower County, Minnesota
  Family ID	F2736	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Aug 2016