Crass, Merlin C.

Died: 22 November 2009

Crass, Merlin C. 91 years, died 22 November 2009 after his struggle with melanoma. He was the 10th children of the late Joseph and Edna (Gerner) Crass, the loving husband of Alice (Knoeck) Crass, and the father of six children Therese (Wayne) Casper, Mary (Dan) Howard, Christine (Tim) Kannenberg, Joanne (Michael) Barber, Michael (Jane) Crass, and Mark (Maria) Crass. He is further survived by 21 grandchildren Jacqueline, Aaron, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Allison, Zachary, Nathan, Robert, Ted, Maria, Katherine, Sarah, Amy, David, Matthew, Alexandra, Emily, Anna, Madeline, Nicholas and Kayla, seven great grandchildren, five brothers Donald, Roy, Everette, Bruce, and Phillip Crass, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his son Alan, six sisters, Florence Crass, Gladys Lechner, Lorraine Krause, Edna Peters, Helen Cook and Esther Koenig and seven brothers, Wilmer, Carlos, Russell, Joseph, Bill, Ray, and Orville Crass.

Merlin was an accomplished stonemason, building fireplaces for the rich and famous. He was also an avid hunter from the age of 7; Merlin passed this love and passion onto his sons and grandsons.

Merlin was a World War II veteran, fighting in Africa, Italy, France, and southern Germany, and liberated concentration camps at the end of the war. 

His name is listed on page 293 of the 4th edition of the Seidemann History and Family Tree book. He will be greatly missed by his loving family and friends.