Merland Eugene Buttolph

Merland Eugene Buttolph, 86, of Lowden passed away Thursday, March 24, 2011. Funeral services will be held at Fry Funeral Home, Tipton on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 10:30 AM with Pastor Barbra Keiper officiating. A visitation will be held from 4-7, Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at Fry Funeral Home. Burial will be at Inland Cemetery, Bennett, Iowa. Casket bearers are Steven Bentrott, Rick Bentrott, Michael Kleppe, Brian Jenks, Butch Richlen and Rod Telsrow. A general memorial fund has been established in memory of Merland. Merland was born May 7, 1924, in Mitchell County, Iowa. He was the son of Hoyt E. and Grace Lee Rainey Buttolph. He was a graduate of Bennett High School and the Tipton Community College. Merland served in the U.S. Army Air Corp. On September 5, 1947, Merland was united in marriage to Darlene Verlee Hollingsworth in Nashua, Iowa. Merland retired as the Bennett Post Master after 25 years of service. He was a member of Peace Church of Christ United, the Bennett American Legion, Bennett Community Club, the POW Group and a past member of the Bennett Volunteer Fire Department. The highlight of Merland's life was his and Darlene's second home in Mesa, Arizona, where every Tuesday he would attend the East Valley Chapter of Prisoner of War meetings. Merland is loved and survived by his wife, Darlene Buttolph of Lowden, Iowa; daughters, Mary (Bobbie) Campbell of Allen, Texas, and Sherry (Gary) Bentrott of Bennett, Iowa; 8 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Richard; granddaughter, Dawn; and sisters, Virginia Jenks and Betty Long.