Marvin Mirly

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Marvin "Mert" Mirly, 81, of Chaffee died Saturday, May 15, 2010, at the Chaffee Nursing Center.

He was born Dec. 13, 1928, in Chaffee, to the late Fred M. and Mamie Luper Mirly. He married Loretta Henson. He then married Shirley Sherrion, and she preceded him in death. He married Betty Dooley on Sept. 18, 1987.

Mert served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and retired from the Winnelson Co. in Cape Girardeau as a heating and air-conditioner salesman.

He was a member of the board of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chaffee and was a past commander for Chaffee VFW Post No. 3127. He also served on the Chaffee Police Board for 13 years and served on the Church Camp SEMO Board.

He formed Mert Mirly and the Rhythm Steppers in the early 1950s, which played until around 1960. He then joined the Welter Four as a drummer for 10 years.

Survivors include his wife, Betty; two sons, Mike (Debbie) Mirly of Chaffee and Doug (Robin) Mirly of Ballwin, Mo.; two stepsons, Randy Dooley of Sikeston and Mitch (Lisa) Dooley of Chaffee; a stepdaughter, Tracy (David) Kirchdoerfer of Chaffee; two sisters, Mayova Ludwig-Jackson and Marietta Lee of Huntington, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by a sister and a brother.

Visitation will be held after 4 p.m. Tuesday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chaffee, with the Rev. Wayne Schwieson officiating. Burial will be in Union Park Cemetery in Chaffee, with the Missouri Military Funeral Honors Team and VFW Post No. 3127 in charge of full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chaffee.