Arline Elizabeth (Forrer) Merrick (1922 - 2020)

Born 21 Aug 1922 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Robert Benjamin Merrick — married 2 Sep 1944 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States

Died 23 Dec 2020 at age 98 in Woodland, Yolo, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: C Merrick [send private message]

Biography

Arline passed away peacefully in the home of her daughter in Woodland.^[1] She had lived in Chicago, San Francisco, Long Beach, Sacramento, Cupertino, Lake Almanor, Elk Grove and Davis in her long and eventful life. She was born Arline Elizabeth Forrer in Chicago, Ill. to Hendrik (Henry) Forrer and Emma Margarette (Schneider) Forrer on Aug. 21, 1922^[2], being the youngest of their four children (Geraldine, Henry, Emma).^[3] All preceded her in death. During WWII she was sent to San Francisco to work as an overseas telephone operator to fill in for the positions of many previous operators who had taken higher paying “Rosie the Riveter” jobs in the Bay Area. After her year of duty in San Francisco, she married her neighborhood pal, Robert Benjamin Merrick in Tennessee where he was on leave in 1944.^[4] Together they had four children, Robert Benjamin Jr., Sandra Jean, Roy Stewart, and Cynthia Louise who were raised in the Santa Clara Valley area as Bob worked at NASA Moffett Field. They were married 72 years before Bob’s passing in 2016. Arline worked many years as a school secretary, allowing her summers and holidays off with the kids. She was active and fun-loving, participating in volley ball, bowling leagues, PTA, Girl Scouts, square dancing, and golf. The family went on many cross-country adventures together. She instilled a love of the outdoors in her family. She ardently stood up for what was right and was never one to be taken advantage of. She continued to live independently at Atria Covell Gardens until the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic, at which time she moved to her daughter and son-in-law’s home. In the quiet comfort of their home she could finally let her guard down and pass to heaven where she prayed every night to go.^[5] She passed away in 23 Dec 2020.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Personal recollections of [ [Merrick-3617|C.Merrick] ]
2. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7Q6-F2T : 5 October 2022), Arline Elizabeth Forrer, .
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWYW-WLK : 8 January 2021), Arline Forrer in household of Henry Forrer, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 103-472, sheet 5A, line 12, family 3, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 935.
4. ↑ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHS-9CQ3 : 10 March 2021), Robert B Merrick and Arline E Forrer, 02 Sep 1944; citing Shelby, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 1,784,678.
5. ↑ Personal recollections of [ [Merrick-3617|C.Merrick] ]
6. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6Z71-Q885 : 8 March 2021), Arline Elizabeth Forrer Merrick, ; Burial, Dixon, Solano, California, United States of America, Sacramento Valley National Cemetery; citing record ID 220333459, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.