Merrill Drake Pipes

Merrill Drake Pipes, 77, of Mexico, died at 11:42 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010, at his home.

Memorial services will be held at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 at Pickering Funeral Home with Rho D. Pipes officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery at a later date. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until the time of service, at the funeral home.

Merrill was born on Sept. 6, 1933, in Boone County, a son of Porter Drake and Lora Kathryn (Gardner) Pipes. On Aug. 21, 1953, in Harrison, Ark., he married Catheryn Louise Mize, who preceded him in death Nov. 16, 2006. He worked for A.P. Green Farms for over 30 years and later worked as grounds maintenance on Green s Estate and the Refractory until he retired on July 1, 1998. Mr. Pipes served in the National Guard.

He is survived by one son, Michael Wayne Pipes and Patty, Fulton; one daughter, Carol J. Welch and Ed, Thompson; three brothers, Rho D. Pipes and Catherine, O Fallon, Kenneth Pipes and Lola, N.C., and Harold Pipes, Fla.; 7 grandchildren, Kendall, Trent, and Kayla Pipes, Toria Fortman, Lynn Schallon, Jason and Matthew Welch; and five great grandchildren, Tyson and Gage Schallon , Riley Michael Dale Branson, McKinley Carroll, and Drake Fortman.

Memorials may be made to Audrain City-County Health Unit Home Health and Hospice or the Research Department at Missouri Cancer Associates and sent in care of Pickering Funeral Home, 403 N. Western, Mexico, MO 65265.