CROFTON, Neb. - Lucy T. Merkel, age 93 of Crofton, NE passed away on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at the Avera Yankton Care Center, Yankton, SD.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 29, 2008 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Menominee, NE with Rev. Michael Schmitz officiating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitations will be from 3-9 p.m. Friday, March 28, 2008 at the Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton with a 7:30 p.m. wake service and rosary. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church.

Pallbearers are Craig, Troy, Jody, Wade, Ben, Chris Merkel, and Todd Becker, the grandsons of Lucy.

Lucy was born November 24, 1914 at Utica, SD to Albert and Lena (Heinish) Borgheiinck. She moved to Menominee, NE at age 5 and attended school at St. Boniface School, Menominee. Lucy married Emery Merkel February 6, 1936 at St. Boniface Catholic Church. They lived and farmed in the Crofton area. Lucy and her sister, Anna cleaned homes together for many years. Lucy was a member of the Christian Mothers and Ladies Guild of Menominee. She loved gardening, canning, baking especially cookies for all her children and grandchildren.

She is survived by one daughter, Marlene (Leon) Becker of Yankton, SD; five sons: Marvin (Patsy) Merkel of Kingman, AZ, Allen (Del Rae) Merkel of Littleton, CO, Charles (Judy) Merkel of Omaha, NE, Donny (Mary) Merkel of Littleton, CO and Rick (Pat) Merkel of Crofton, NE; 16 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; 2 sisters, Anna Kuehn and Rosella Tramp both of Yankton, SD; a brother, Alfred Borgheiinck of Fullerton, NE and many nieces and nephews.

Lucy was preceded in death by her husband on November 13, 1970, her parents, 2 brothers, Frank and Ambrose Borgheiinck, and 2 sisters, Martha Estes and Zita Amick.

Yankton Press & Dakotan

March 28, 2008