Merlin Dean Terlouw, 72, of Reasnor, passed away Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, at Park Centre in Newton. A celebration of Merlin's life will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory, Newton. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at the funeral home. A private family interment will be held at Sully Cemetery. Memorials to Killduff United Methodist Church or St Nick’s Christmas Club may be left at the funeral home.
Merlin was born Sept. 12, 1947, in Colfax. He was the first-born son of Marion and Barbara (Daft) Terlouw. After living in Mingo until November 1949, the family moved to Prairie City. Merlin attended Prairie City Schools and was a 1967 graduate. He then enlisted in the United States Air Force serving for four years and trained as a jet mechanic. He spent one year in Thailand and returned home in 1971. Upon returning home, he worked for the Maytag Company and then worked construction for a number of years. He also spent several years as a sub-contractor installing tile for Boat’s Furniture of Pella.
Merlin enjoyed many interests which included collecting and restoring kid’s pedal cars, painting and drawing, and going to garage sales and flea markets. He would tell people that “he bought junk and sold it as antiques.” He enjoyed attending his son’s and grandson’s sporting events. He had served on the Reasnor City Council and the Reasnor Fire Department. He was a great teaser and joker. He enjoyed spending time with the local guys at the Reasnor Lumber Yard and later at the Reasnor Machine Shop.
Merlin was raised and confirmed in the Prairie City United Methodist Church. He was currently a member of the Killduff United Methodist Church. Merlin was united in marriage with Nancy Septer on Sept. 7, 1973, at the Prairie City United Methodist Church. They were the parents of one son, Steven. He was a devoted husband, dad, and grandpa. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his grandsons, Landen and Carsen.
Those left to miss him daily are his wife of 46 years, Nancy of Reasnor; son, Steven of Newton; grandsons, Landen and Carsen of Newton; his brother, Michael (Anna) Terlouw of Prairie Village, KS; his uncles, Louis (Joan) Terlouw of Pella and Stanley Daft of Prairie City; an aunt, Theda Fopma of Grinnell; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion and Barbara Terlouw; parents-in-law, Marion and Gerry Septer; and his grandparents, John and Phoebe Terlouw and Edward and Helen Daft.
