Merlin Schwanke

Merlin William Schwanke, 71, of Sanborn, MN died on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at V. A. Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD. Merlin was born April 20, 1937 to Clarence and Grace (Buller) Schwanke in New Ulm. He was raised in the Sanborn area and graduated from Sanborn High School in 1955. In 1955-1956 he was enlisted in the US Army and stationed in Fairbanks, AK where he worked with the Military Police. Upon his return to Minnesota he worked in Windom at International and Moore's Manufacturing. On December 12, 1959 he married Diane Smith in Windom. In the spring of 1962 the couple moved to their farm west of Sanborn where he started farming with his dad Clarence raising livestock and dairy cows. He also farmed near Morris and north and south of Lamberton. Merlin farmed with Allis-Chalmers' tractors and enjoyed sharing parts with Lyle and Bernel. Until 1992 he was a member of Germantown UMC when he moved his membership to the Sanborn UMC. He was also a member of the Sanborn Legion. He was a good counselor and entertainer of visitors. Merlin enjoyed his coffee with the boys at the corner, restoring old tractors, attending tractor pulls, his dogs, his 1951 Kaiser and attending his grandchildren's ball games. Merlin is survived by his wife Diane; son - Tim (Jan) of Springfield; daughter - Beth (fianc' Steve Hanten) of Sioux Falls; grandchildren - Jeremy, Krystal, Tiffany and McKensie; brother - Vernon (Susan) of Watertown, MN; sister - Shirley Van Prooien of North Potomac, MD and aunts and uncles and many nieces, nephews. Preceding Merlin in death were his parents.