Merlin Thacker

Merlin D. Thacker 1939 ~ 2008 Our beloved family member, Merlin Don Thacker, died December 28, 2008 at age 69. He was born March 22, 1939 in Colville, Washington, to Claude and Hilda Fullmer Thacker, the sixth of eleven children. He entered the US Navy, at the age of 17, and proudly served our country. He met and then married Carolyn Durfee in the Salt Lake Temple; they had six children together. He loved to drive his milk tanker, the Mormon Thermos, and worked for the LDS Church for 21 years. In 1987 his youngest son, Aaron, died and he never fully recovered from that loss. He leaves behind his remaining children: Tracy (Pam) Thacker, SharaDawn (Travis) Samuelson, Stephanie (Chad) Taylor, Ella (Drew) Lathrop and Jenny (John) Measom; 17 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; 3 brothers and 6 sisters; over 200 nieces and nephews; and his second mother, Elma Merkley. He is also preceded in death by his parents and oldest sister, Clauda. Funeral services will be held Saturday, 11:00 a.m. at the LDS Chapel, 3671 So. Oldham St. (4170 West), WVC, UT. Viewings will be held Friday, 6-8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road and Saturday at the church, 10-10:45 a.m. Interment, Marion City Cemetery, Marion Utah. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Merlin Don Thacker Memorial account at any Mountain America Credit Union.