Merle R. "Randy" Sullivan, 84 of Arlington, Iowa, formerly of Minonk, died at midnight Sunday (May 16, 2004) at the Veterans Administration Medical Center at Iowa City, Iowa, after a lengthy illness.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Minonk. The Rev. Daniel Gansch-Boythe will officiate. Burial with military rites will be in Minonk Township Cemetery, Minonk. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ruestman-Harris Funeral Home, Minonk. Memorials may be directed to a charity of the donor's choice.
He is survived by his wife, Leora Sullivan of Arlington, Iowa; two sisters, Edna Blackmer, Farmington, and Fern Seggerman, Charleston; a sister-in-law, Peg Sullivan, York, Pa.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Russell Sullivan and Howard Sullivan.
Merle Randall Sullivan was born on Feb. 7, 1920, at Minonk, a son of Oscar and Frances Tucker Sullivan. He graduated from Minonk Township High School in 1938. He married Leora Josephine Oldenburg on Oct. 19, 1941, at St. Paul's Evangelical Church in Minonk.
As a young boy he was always interested in mechanical things and eventually worked for Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria. He served during World War II in the Army Medical Corps from December of 1942 to 1946 and was in charge of the X-ray department for three years at Camp Roberts, Calif., and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1952 Merle and Leora moved to Iowa and farmed near Randalia and Arlington for many years until retirement.
He was a very active member of the Arlington United Methodist Church, a member of the Dean Harkin American Legion Post 219 of Arlington, and was a farm bureau member for 50 years. He was forever grateful to his parents for being raised under their Christian influence.
