Alice Merkley

Jerome- Our beloved mother, sister, and aunt,  Alice Lee Merkley, 75, of Jerome, passed away Sunday September 18, 2016, in Salt lake City, Utah.  She was born in Jerome in 1941, to Elida and Forrest Boyd.  She spent her early years in many different locations throughout the Pacific Northwest.  While living in Butte, Montana she met her first husband Bud Wagner.  They had two children together and later separated.  In 1958 she moved back to Jerome where she met and married Wilford Taylor.  Bill was in the Navy and they lived in many different cities across the country during his military career. Over that time they had four more children.  After Bill left the Navy they settled back in Jerome where Alice worked at many different local businesses and made numerous friendships.  Bill and Alice were divorced in 1978. In 1980 she married Ron Merkley, and they were together until his death in 1999. At that time she had started a commercial cleaning service, which she still owned and operated at the time of her passing.

She is survived by three of her children; Cheryl Taylor Sturgeon, Kelly Taylor, and Brandi Taylor Spaulding (Drew), her sister Joyce Cowling, nine grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, eleven nieces and nephews she adored as her own, and a host of people young and old who lovingly called her Nan.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Barbara Henage, her brother Charlie Boyd, and her sons Harvey, Les, and Sheldon.

Memorial services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. , Friday September 23, 2016 , at Farnsworth Mortuary Chapel, 1343 South Lincoln, Jerome.

The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Elizabeth Sugden, St. Luke’s Jerome, the Mountain States Tumor Institute, and the University of Utah Medical Center for their tender care and supreme kindness.