Merlin Norman Alexander (Babe)

Garden City, SD

1934, 792, Roubaix, F-6,
1934, 2754, Wind Cave, DNP-1,

Mr. Merlin N. Alexander, age 91, Garden City, died in the Lake Area Hospital in Webster on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 after a long illness.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2006 at 1:00 PM in the Garden City United Methodist Church at Garden City with the Reverend Warren Rhodes officiating. Burial will be in the Garden City Cemetery with military rites by the Heath-Headley American Legion Post #199 of Garden City. Dorothy Fuller will be the organist with Duane & Char Peterson singing. Casketbearers will be Larry, Wayne and Steve Headley, Roger & Dean Alexander and Roy Grout.

Visitation will be held on Friday from 5-7 at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark and 1 hour prior to services at the Church on Saturday.

Merlin Norman Elsworth "Babe" Alexander was born in McCook County, near Montrose, South Dakota on February 3, 1914, the son of Mervin and Clara (Hanson) Alexander. The family moved to a farm south of Tinkertown, near Henry, where he attended school. Later on the family moved west of Henry and he continued his school through the eighth grade. He then went to work for various farmers in the Garden City and Henry areas. In March of 1934 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp in the Black Hills of South Dakota near a town called Raubaix and did that work until 1937. In 1941 he entered the US Army.

On November 12, 1942 he was united in marriage to Margery Headley at Watertown. He continued serving his country while she moved to Garden City. He served his country until 1945, serving in the European Theatre and being involved at the invasion of Normandy. Following his discharge he returned to the Garden City area, attending a GI schooling for farming at Garden City. The couple lived and farmed in the Garden City area until retiring and moving into the community some 30 years ago.

Some of his hobbies included playing cards, fishing and pheasant hunting. He also enjoyed music, dancing and socializing with friends. Second to none though for him was his love of family, being a very devoted family man. He was a member of the Heath-Headley American Legion Post #199 of Garden City.

Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife, Margery and a son Norman Alexander both of Garden City, a daughter, Alice Kaye Dalager of Aberdeen, 2 granddaughters, Erica Dalager and Nissa Dalager and a great-granddaughter, Maggie Dalager-Ericsson.

Preceding him in death were his parents and 4 brothers, Kenneth 'Dutch', LaVern 'Shorty', Darwin 'Doc' and Virgil Alexander.

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