, the Region IV Mental Health Board, the Dixon County Weed Board, the Dixon County Farm Bureau, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Dixon County Veterans Service Board, and both the Springbank and Dixon County Republican Committees. He also served as a Dixon County Supervisor. After retirement, he was elected to serve as a Nebraska State Senator for Dixon, Wayne and Dakota Counties from 1980 to 1984. Merle was fun-loving and had a great sense of humor. He liked traveling and enjoyed talking to everyone. He was a man of his word who always did what he said. He lived life on his terms and loved every minute of it. He was truly devoted to his family and always had time for his children as they grew up and after they became adults. He was a devout Christian all of his life. He had very strong moral and ethical values that he passed on to his children and grandchildren. He was a lifetime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Martinsburg. Merle loved motorcycles, fancy cars and Nebraska sports. He found joy in dancing, singing, whistling and playing cards. He enjoyed working outside and keeping his yard beautiful. He liked riding his bike around town, and at the age of 70, he became an avid bowler. He was always a farmer at heart and continued to check the crops and remained interested in planting and harvesting. He and Deenette traveled the globe together, visiting every state in the union and all the continents of the world, except Antarctica. Merle was preceded in death by his parents; his brother and sister-in-law, Harold and Darlene (Tootie) Von Minden; his sister and brother-in-law, Faye and George Naylor; his grandson, Robert Russell, Jr., and his mother and father-in-law, Vivian and H.F. (Dean) Good. Survivors include: Deenette; daughter, LeAnn (Robert) Russell of Pennsburg, PA; son, Scott (Catherine) Von Minden of Lincoln, NE; daughter, Lori (Patrick) Stillman of Fairfax Station, VA; a sister, Ann (Reid) Clausen of Highlands Ranch, CO; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 5106 Douglas Street, Ponca, NE 68770.