Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Merkle, 97, a resident of Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake, Indiana, and formerly of Claypool, Indiana, passed away at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 17, 2014.

She was born on Sept. 14, 1916, in Blanca, Colo., to Wilbur Albert and Josephine Blanche (Pavy) Campbell. They were both Methodist ministers. She married Charles Robert Merkle on Feb. 8, 1941, in Shelbyville, Ind.

She was a registered nurse. She graduated from DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., in 1938, and later graduated from the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, Indianapolis, where she taught Nursing Arts. In 1946, she moved to Claypool, where she worked as a Special Duty Nurse.

During her life, she volunteered her professional nursing skills, caring for people in their homes. She also founded The Golden Cross Fund to assist the less fortunate in her community.  n addition, she was a volunteer dispatcher for EMS in the 1980’s.

She was a member of the Claypool United Methodist Church; Trinity United Methodist Church, Shelbyville, Ind.; and the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS), Claypool. She was a leader of the Claypool Girls 4-H Club in the 1960’s, and a member of The Claypool Jolly Homemakers Club, which is no longer active.

She lived in Claypool until moving to Grace Village in 2009.

She is survived by two daughters: Jo Anne (Robert) Sennett, Claypool; and Marjorie (Russell) Henderson, Florence, S.C.; a sister: Miriam B. Senger, Shelbyville, Ind.; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband: Charles Robert Merkle; her daughter: Emily; and one brother.

Visitation hours will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the Claypool United Methodist Church, with Pastor Mike Settles officiating. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery, Claypool.

Memorial contributions may be made to: the Claypool United Methodist Church and/or the Claypool United Methodist Women, 302 East Section Street, Claypool, IN 46510;  or Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice Inc., P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196.

To send condolences or to sign the guest book go to McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels website.