Ernestine Merritt

SAVANNAH, Mo. -- Ernestine Virginia Hahn Merritt, 99, of Savannah passed away Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019.

She was born April 19, 1920, to Clara and Henry Hahn of Egypt Mills, near Cape Girardeau. Ernestine married Glen Merritt on May 20, 1944. They lived and farmed in the Bolckow and Rosendale, Missouri, areas until moving to Savannah in 1990. They were married for 61 years.

After high school, Ernestine became a beautician and worked in that profession until the start of World War II. During the war, she lived in St. Louis and worked on an assembly line in a small-arms defense plant making .30-caliber machine gun belts. Later, Ernestine worked as acting postmaster in the Bolckow Post Office and then as postmaster in the Rosendale Post Office, retiring in 1981.

She was a long-time member of Rosendale Christian Church, until transferring her membership to First Christian Church in Savannah.

She attained lifetime membership in the Rosendale Garden Club and enjoyed bowling, quilting, traveling and volunteer work, but her greatest joy was spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by a sister, Elaine Hahn of Cape Girardeau; son, Glen (Cyndee) Merritt Jr. of Savannah; daughters, Donna (Jerry) McDonald of Cosby, Missouri, and Diane (Jim) Oliver of Lenexa, Kansas; grandchildren, Jeff (Kelly) McDonald, Erin (Will) Bouchard, Kimberly (Kyle) Holt, Shelley Merritt and Brea Merritt; stepgrandchildren, Dallas (Brenda) Goodman and Heather Spicer; and several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Ernestine was preceded in death by her husband in 2006; parents; a brother, Palmer Hahn; and sisters, Hortense Harding and Lois Purdy.

Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Heaton-Bowman-Smith Savannah Chapel. Burial will be in Savannah Cemetery.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorial gifts may be made to Rosendale Christian Church, 9976 Hwy. 48, Rosendale, MO 64483 or First Christian Church, 511 W. Market St., Savannah, MO 64485.