Merrill Guilder

Merrill Van Guilder, age 87 years, of East Caro Road, Caro, passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2006, at Tendercare of Cass City. He was born on August 14, 1918, in Caro. Merrill had been employed by the State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources, retiring after 16 years of service. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II attaining the rank of Sergeant and had been stationed in Germany for four years. Merrill was a member of the Lansing V.F.W. Post. In his younger years he had enjoyed hunting and fishing. Merrill is survived by two daughters, Patricia Koss of Jeannette, Pennsylvania and Connie Campbell of Tulsa, Oklahoma; a son, Rex Van Guilder of Olivet; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one sister and brother-in-law, Myrtle (Carl) Parsell of Caro; two nephews and their spouses, Gary (Marylin) Parsell of Caro and Wayne (Bonnie) Parsell of Prescott, Arizona; and one niece and her husband, Bonnie (Bob) Irvine of Caro. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Jessie (Beecher) VanGuilder. A graveside memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at Almer Township Cemetery with military honors afforded by the Caro V.F.W. Post #4164. There will be no visitation at the Collon Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.