MERRITT L. JENNESS, 84, of Marcus, Iowa passed away Monday, November 23, 2009 at his home in Marcus.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 28th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Darrell Webb will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the Church on Saturday. Visitation will be on Friday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee with the family present from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. On line condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Merritt was born August 15, 1925 at Primghar, Iowa to Francis and Verna (McCorkel) Jenness. He attended Washta Community Schools. He was married to Velma Webb on June 22, 1947 in Cherokee. Their wedding was delayed for two hours due to a flood. He had lived in Marcus for 33 years, prior to this on a farm in Grand Meadow Township. He was a custodian for the Marcus Meriden Cleghorn Schools for 11 years. Following his retirement, he mowed yards, worked for Holzhauer Motors and did delivery for Valley Pharmacy. He was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He enjoyed pitching horseshoes, doing yard work, watching westerns cartoons and spending time with his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son Roland in 1969, 5 brothers Oliver, Erwin, Virgil, Howard and Marlin Jenness and two sisters Reta Fuhrman and Geraldine Roby; a brother-in-law Gilbert Webb and a sister-in-law JoAnne Webb.

He is survived by his wife Velma; five children; Gloria Clark and her husband Bill of St. Johns, Arizona; Susan McCannon and her husband Glen of Aurelia, Iowa; Sally Zucchetti and her husband Jim of Italy; Tony Jenness and his wife Robin of Marcus, Iowa; Dawn Huseby and her husband Jay of Becida, Minnesota; 12 grandchildren: Chris & Nicole Mohning; Tim Mohning and special friend Shawna, Charlie & Rachel Mohning, Jenny & Jared Schoenrock, Ronnie McCannon, Gabe & Shelly Prescott, Brett Jenness, Dean Jenness, Carma Huseby and fiancé Ted Hommerding, Megan Huseby, Jeremy Huseby, Jens Huseby; 15 great grandchildren: McKenzie Mohning, Ashley Mohning, Matthew Mohning, Lilly Mohning, Alex Mohning, Christine Mohning, Letty & Harley, Austin Mohning, Alyssa Mohning, April Mohning, Autumn Mohning, Graham Prescott, Breanna Jones and Lexis Jones; two sisters, Ruby Webb and her husband Lester of Cherokee, Iowa; Lois Pflugard of Port Angeles, Washington; sisters-in-law; Armeda Jenness of Kingsley, Iowa; Berna Jenness of Cherokee, Iowa; Karla Jenness of LeMars, Iowa; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Doris Webb of Mesa, Arizona; Darlene Williams of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Earl & Connie Webb of Guthrie Center, Iowa; Darrell & Joann Webb of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Elsie & Carroll Tigges of Peterson, Iowa; Willie Webb and his special friend Nancy of Wickenburg, Arizona; Donna & Rodney Groepper of Cherokee, Iowa; many nieces and nephews.