Merle Gideon

Merle Lewis Gideon

Merle Lewis Gideon, 92, formerly of Delia, died May 14, 2003, in Sacramento, Calif. He was born April 18, 1911, on the Potawatomi Reservation, the son of William Franklin and Stella Ann Weeks Gideon. He was raised in Delia by Bruce and Edna Woolpert and graduated from Delia High School. Mr. Gideon worked for Motor Inn Garage and International Harvester in Topeka as a mechanic. During World War II, he worked in a defense plant in Parsons. He returned to Delia after the war and operated the Gideon Grocery Store. He moved to California in 1949 and sold cars until his retirement. Mr. Gideon was a member of Delia Lodge No. 419 AF&AM. He married Olive "Melba" Currey on April 19, 1932, in Topeka. Survivors include a son, Chuck Gideon and his wife, Dee, Dublin, Calif.; and two stepgrandsons, Daniel Brown and Thomas Brown, both of California. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Parker-Price Mortuary in Topeka. Burial will be at Half-Day Cemetery in Elmont. Mr. Gideon will lie in state after 6 p.m. today at the mortuary , where the family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 599, Topeka, 66601-0599.