Merilyn J. Farrell

Merilyn Jean Farrell, 95, of Des Moines passed away on July 14, 2024. She was born July 26, 1928 in Melcher-Dallas, IA to Donald and Esther (Nelson) Hansaker.

As a young child, her family moved to Cheyene, WY. Though it was a harder life on the prairie, she remembered the good parts of it fondly. Doing chores on their ranch taught her to work hard at a young age. She loved her horse, Prince. She also enjoyed playing girls basketball well beyond high school. She graduated from high school in Cheyene and her family moved back to Iowa shortly after the birth of her sister, Orbie.

Merilyn went to work at Meredith Publishing in Des Moines. It was there she met her future husband. She was married to Russ Farrell on July 28, 1949.

Merilyn accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior shortly after her husband committed his life to Christ in 1949. Her favorite verse was Romans 5:8. It always amazed her that God would love her that much.

They soon after moved off to Omaha Baptist Bible College so Russ could be trained for the ministry. Merilyn also attended college classes for almost two years. She stopped her education to work and help support them while he finished his training.

Two children were added to their home, Rebekah and Douglas. She delighted in making a home where they enjoyed serving the Lord together.

She was pleased to serve alongside her husband in lifelong ministry. This included several years of Russ being a fulltime evangelist and six years in home mission work. They served as pastor and wife at Adelphi Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Monroe, Knoxville Regular Baptist Church, Heritage Baptist Church in Moberly, MO and First Baptist Church in Prairie City. Russ started two churches in their ministry years, Altoona Regular Baptist Church and Northwest Heights Baptist Church in Kansas. They also founded the Knoxville Regular Baptist School. Merilyn often served as church secretary. She was always busy serving, sometimes as a Sunday school teacher, VBS leader, AWANA leader, and hostess for visiting speakers and missionaries. She also worked hard to keep the church buildings and the school clean and sharp looking.

She is survived by her children, Rebekah Farrell and Doug (Lori) Farrell; grandchildren, George Neuharth, Miles (Brandi) Neuharth, Joshua (Bethany) Farrell, Julie (Alex) Bee, Jacob (Paige) Farrell, Jenni (Jordan) Hines; 13 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers, John (Ramona) Hansaker, LeRoy (Carolyn) Hansaker; and 1 sister, Orbie (Jack) Becker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Russ Farrell; 2 brothers; and 1 sister and her parents.

Print