Mervin Eugene (Perry) Eddington 84, of Columbus, KS passed away 3:45am Thursday January 26, 2017 at the Mercy Hospital in Joplin, MO following an illness.
Mervin was born August 19, 1932 in McCune, KS to Roy Earl and Marie (Allen) Perry. He was later adopted by John Franklin and Nellie Edith (Everitt) Eddington of Rural Hallowell, KS. Mervin attended Columbus schools and graduated from Columbus High School with the class of 1951.
After leaving high school Mervin stepped in the boxing ring and became the Joplin, MO Golden Gloves Boxing Champion in his light weight division. Then on January 4, 1952 Mervin felt the call to serve his country and enlisted in the United States Army serving 3 years and 3 days of active duty. Mervin served with the 82nd Airborne Division during the Korean War. He was in the Division’s Parachute Maintenance Company. Mervin worked on packing, repair and maintenance of personnel and cargo parachutes and aerial supply equipment; loading and securing cargo in aircraft, ejection of cargo in flight and recovering of parachutes and aerial supply equipment. Mervin rose to the rank of Pfc(T) and was decorated with the Parachute Badge and National Defense Service Medal. On January 6, 1955 Mervin left active duty and spent the next 5 years in the United States Army Reserve QMC until January 3, 1960.
Upon leaving active duty Mervin joined the International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers. During Mervin’s years as an Iron worker he traveled around the world erecting radio towers for the United States Air Force and building high rise towers until he was hurt on the job September of 1971.
In 1973 Mervin moved back to Rural Hallowell, KS with his bride Cleda Detmars (Howell) Eddington who he met and married March 3, 1957 in Emporia, KS. Mervin and Cleda settled on a farm near Hallowell and started farming and ranching. Mervin’s cattle became his pets and he became especially fond of Mabel, April, Wanda, and Orphan Annie. Orphan Annie is still with us and resides at a farm in Oklahoma being cared for by Mervin’s niece Vicki Pribble.
In April 2013 Mervin now a widower moved to the town of Columbus, KS and took up residence at Autumn Place Apartment 108.
Mervin is survived by his brothers Melvin Leroy Eddington of Oswego, KS, Marvin Wayne Cline and his wife Dollie of Devore, CA; sister JoAnn Watts of Galena, KS; 3 step-sons James Howell and wife Sylvia of Irmo, SC, Bill Howell and wife Lavern of Irving, TX and Jerry Walthan of Wichita, KS; 13 step-grandchildren; several step great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins that admired and loved him dearly.
Mervin was preceded in death by his wife; his biological parents; his adopted parents; brothers Earl Ray Perry and Frederick Emmett Perry; sister Violet Virginia Perry; step-sons Bob Howell and Tommy Howell; step-daughter Martha Tomlinson.
Per Mervin’s wishes his body is to be cremated and his remains commingled with his wife’s remains and scattered in Cherry Creek in Cherokee County. A memorial and monument will be set at the McCune Cemetery in McCune, KS. Cremation arrangements are under the Direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Columbus, KS.
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