Merna K. Dudley's Obituary
Merna K. Dudley, age 75, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 23, 2020, surrounded by family. Born on May 13, 1945, to Joy (nee Lowry) and Wayne “Casey” Jones, Merna moved a lot as a child but spent the majority of her time in Milwaukee and Amherst, Wis.
She married her next-door neighbor, Roger, on September 7, 1962, in Milwaukee, moving to Amherst permanently in 1968. Merna and Roger ran a portable feed mill for many years, in conjunction with Wayne Feeds, with Merna handling the accounting and ordering duties. She was employed at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., from 1988 to 2010. While there, she learned to embrace computers, working in data entry and then the Numismatic Catalog/Book department. When she retired in 2010, she was able to help care for her youngest grandchild, which was her favorite “job.”
Merna loved to cook for everyone. No one ever left the Dudley house hungry, especially at the holidays. She had a kind heart so she took in a lot of “strays,” opening her home to friends, family members, and many dogs over the years. She loved snuggling babies, visiting Mackinac Island, hosting family gatherings at the farm, sewing and quilting, and watching birds. Merna and Roger ran a deer camp for friends and relatives each November, and her meals were legendary (thanks to the help of her sister, Betty). Merna’s favorite holiday was Christmas, and she collected Hallmark ornaments for many years.
Merna is survived by her children, Roger Jr., Michael, and Merry (all of Amherst); grandchildren Sam (Tara, Amherst), Macy (Neenah), and Ian (Amherst); and her great-grandchildren, Chloe and Jase. She is also survived by her mother (Joy Thorn of Bethany Home in Waupaca, Wis.); siblings Betty (John Olson of Amherst), Jackie (Ken Neumann of Winchester, Wis.), and Phil (Laura Martin of Minooka, Ill.); and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father and her husband, as well as her great-granddaughter, Evelyn.
A memorial service for the immediate family will be held in September.
The family would like to thank the staff at St. Joseph’s in New London and Theda Clark in Neenah for their care and compassion during Merna’s last days. The family was very grateful to be able to be with Merna until the end, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
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