- Date Of Birth: July 29, 1939
- Date Of Death: October 15, 2018
- State: Iowa
Merle “Jerry” Van Patten, 79, of Orlando, FL formerly of Spirit Lake passed away on Monday, October 15, 2018, at his daughter’s home in Wallingford, IA.
Merle was born on July 29, 1939, to Beryl and Frances (McHale) Van Patten. He graduated from Heelan High School in Sioux City and earned his bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA. He proudly served his country in the US Army National Guard for two years before marrying Myrna Hinton on February 2, 1963, in Rockwell City, IA. For 30 years Merle followed in his fathers’ footsteps with Goodyear Tire, later owning his own tire shop in Cherokee before moving to Spirit Lake and becoming a tires sales representative throughout Northwest Iowa and Southwest Minnesota. In 1996 Myrna and Merle pursued a lifelong dream of living in Florida and relocated to Orlando. Merle applied at Walt Disney World and was immediately hired as a boat driver transporting guests to and from Epcot, Epcot Resorts, and the Disney MGM Studios. A short time later Merle was promoted to a supervisor position where he managed Cast Members, young and old. He impacted the lives of many with his humor, passion, and fatherly love, so much that he earned himself Disney’s highest honor, ‘The Partners in Excellence Award’. During the 16 years at Disney, Merle was affectionally referred to as “Mac Daddy” and “Merlisims” were a common topic of conversation on the boat dock. Today visitors to the Maritime Museum can still see Merle’s handy work on display, a beautiful mahogany pilothouse that he worked on tirelessly during the winter months for two years. Many memories come from family vacations to the beach, boating on the Okoboji lakes, and summers at the cottage on East Lake. As life slowed down, Merle could be found sitting on the patio, drinking coffee and taking care of his puppy dogs and kitty cats, and keeping track of current events via Fox News.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife Myrna Van Patten of Orlando, FL; daughters Jacque (Jay) Loftus of Nashville, TN; Jeri (Jeremy) Bodle of Wallingford, IA; Jo (Steve) Currell of Spirit Lake, IA; son John Van Patten and Melissa Carlson of Orlando, FL; 2 European daughters, Margo (Frank) Gray of the Netherlands and Susan Held of Switzerland; 8 grandchildren, Andy, Chris, and Veronica Bodle, Jackson Currell, Braedon and Bailey Loftus, and Caleb and Lily Van Patten, his sister-in-law, Judy Van Patten; family friend Tamara Jackson and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Tom Van Patten, sisters Marilyn and (John) Culver, Nancy Durden, our angel Kari Thorsen, Mike Van Patten, and Ann Culver.
