George Merrill Gessel

LOGAN, UTAH: George Merrill Gessel, 80, passed away
Friday, February 23,2007, at his home in Logan, Utah
following a four month battle with cancer. Merrill was
born March 7, 1926 in Logan to George and Diana Wilson
Gessel.
He was married to his sweetheart Valarie Jeanne Smith
on August 31, 1946. They had just recently celebrated
their 60th wedding anniversary.
He entered the military at the age of 17 and served
for 2 1/2 years in the Navy during World War II. He
attended Logan Schools and Utah State Agricultural
College and went on to become an instructor at USAC in
refrigeration.
Merrill served in many positions in the LDS church. He
was currently serving as a sealer in the Logan Temple,
where many of his grandchildren were privileged to be
married by Grandpa. He served a mission with his wife
at Adam-ondi-Ahman, Missiouri in 1999-2000.
He grew up spending time in his father's shop and as a
result, became a carpenter, supervisor and later a
contractor, building LDS churches in the Valley, homes
for his family and apartment buildings. He has made
countless pieces of furniture and other items from
wood that he harvested from his property. His mother
taught him to sew and he made hand-pieced quilts for
every member of the family, which currently numbers
81. Merrill could invent and fix most anything. The
grandchildren loved to ride the go carts that he built
and to hike, mountain bike and waterski with him. He
was always doing something for someone else and was
positive and happy until the end.
Dad, you are amazing and we will miss you more than
you could know.
Survivors include his wife, Valarie and children Peggy
(James) Reese, Roger (Wendy) Gessel, Karla (Ross)
Draper, Jane (Jeff) Holdsworth and Sharon (Brett)
Carter.
He was a wonderful grandfather to 29 grandchildren and
22 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters
Ione G. Hughes and Ila G. Bradshaw.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Monday,
February 26, at the Allen-Hall Mortary, 34 E. Center
Street, Logan. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 25, and from 11 :00 to 11 :45 a.m.
Monday, prior to the services. In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that to honor Merrill's endless
service to others, memorial contributions be made to
the LDS church Humanitarian or Perpetual Education
funds. Condolences and memories may be sent to the
family at www.allenmortuaries.net