Merlin Leroy Gnegy

Merlin Leroy Gnegy, 92, of Bradenton, Florida and Somerset, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully into the arms of his Savior at 10:49 PM on April 18, 2015 in Manatee Memorial Hospital, Bradenton, FL.

Born January 27, 1923 in Oakland, MD, he was the son of Dewey and Sadie Gnegy.

Merlin embraced life with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. He was generous with his time and talents. In his many travels, he never met a stranger and always introduced himself with “I’m a farmer from Pennsylvania”. He always had a story to tell with his own special twist.   Merlin was drafted in to the Army in 1944. He served as a Sergeant in the 25th Division 64th Artillery that was sent as some of the first troops to occupy Japan after WWII.

He was a farmer, first in Mountain Lake Park, MD and then for most of this life on a 60 acre farm near Sipesville in Somerset County, PA. Over the years, he milked cows, raised pullets and veal calves and grew strawberries. In every endeavor, he studied out the best way to do the job. Because of his skill in raising veal calves, he mentored many veal growers in a three state region as a representative for the Supreme Feeds Company.

After his retirement from farming in 1984, woodworking became his main occupation. He gave away many of the beautiful items that he created. He shared this love of woodworking as a 4-H leader for 17 years.

Civic minded, he served as an auditor for Lincoln Township for 22 years and as president of the Somerset Farmers Union for 14 years. He and his wife Dolores hosted several foreign exchange students and he still maintained a “dad” relationship with Morten Marcher of Denmark. They also opened their home to many foster children as well as sunshine children from New York City.

Merlin was a faithful member of the Church of the Brethren all of his life and had served as a deacon of the Sipesville Church of the Brethren since 1954. He supported Camp Harmony in many ways.

Family was very important to Merlin. He had four daughters to his first wife, Mary Belle West. They are Linda (Paul) Stahlman, Fairmount City. PA; Debra (Ronald) Hoffman, Fountain Inn, SC; Beverly (Rodney) Whited, Russell, PA; and Susan (John) Coughenour, Berlin, PA. He married Dolores Airesman on March 29, 1969 and together they raised a son, Kevin (married to Jennifer Orlandi) and a foster son, Steve Barron (married to Jennifer Neri). He had twelve grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

After Dolores’ death, he married Mildred Ziegler Bean Hartzell on August 10, 2008 and they maintained a winter home in Bradenton, FL, where they made many new friends in the Citrus Grove Estates and at the Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren.

In his marriage to Mildred, he gained one stepson, Fred Bean, Pittsburgh, PA and three stepdaughters, Lois (Michael) Charles, Winston-Salem, NC; Sandra (Craig) Miller, Lanesdale, PA; Althea Brown, Somerset, PA, as well as six step-grandchildren and one step great-granddaughter.

Besides his wife Mildred and all of his children and grandchildren, he is survived by his brother Lorraine Gnegy, Oakland MD and a sister Ruby Harvey, Dillon, MT, as well as many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his wife Dolores, his parents, his brothers Darrell Gnegy and Harold Gnegy and sisters Wilda Davy, Ruth Arnold and Lorene Dodge.

A memorial celebration service will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 11 AM at the Sipesville Church of the Brethren under the direction of the Robert H. Halverson Funeral Home in Somerset, PA.

Interment will be in the Sipesville Church of the Brethren Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Sipesville Church of the Brethren, PO Box 207, Sipesville, PA 15561; Camp Harmony, PO Box 158, Hooversville, PA 15936 and the Sipesville Volunteer Fire Company, 968 Sr4002, Sipesville, PA 15561.

Condolences for the family may be made online at www.shannonfuneralhomes.com .