Merle Ray Strawn

Merle Ray Strawn, 82, Moses Lake resident passed away Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at Samaritan Hospital with his loving family at his side. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 6, 2011 at Pioneer Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 5th at Kayser's Chapel and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 6th at Kayser's. Please sign the online guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel & Crematory.

Merle was born on Dec. 2, 1928 in Brownwood, Texas to William Ray and Flora Zell (Moore) Strawn. He attended elementary school at Grosvenor, Texas and junior high and high school at Bangs, Texas. Merle's love for horses and livestock started with parents and grandparents country life in Texas. He started training and breaking horses to ride at an early age for his father, himself and friends. His favorite companion was his beloved dog "Scotty". Merle's dream of owning and training his race horse "Nellie Blend" at Long Acres, Seattle was fulfilled. His love of horses remained his joy all his life until the end.

Merle worked for Safeway, the Kansas Wheat Harvest, and moving houses off the Camp Bowie Army Base in Brownwood, Texas. Merle met his wife Louise Ewvone Cathey through friends. They were married Aug. 1948 and of this union four children were born, Steve, Donna, Tana and Jeffrey. Merle was a freight driver for Santa Fe Trail Ways in Texas. His experience as a bull fighter for the Dude Ranch Rodeo at Wimberly, Texas in 1953 was short when the bull made him climb the fence.

Merle went to work for Boeing in Seattle, working for 13 years. He worked on the B 52 program and transferred to Moses Lake in 1955. He then transferred to the Missile Program going to sites in California, Montana, Wyoming and then back to Moses Lake, leaving Boeing to live in their present home and farm in Mae Valley for 46 years. Merle worked at the Quincy Livestock Auction part-time, hauling and buying livestock.

He is survived by his wife, Louise Ewvone, Moses Lake; daughter, Donna (Dean) Haskins, Klamath Falls, Oregon; son, Jeffrey (June) Strawn, Moses Lake; sister, Helen Mask, New Braunfels, Texas; nieces, Paula Livingston, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Holly Cunningham, New Braunfels, Texas, and Andy Wilkens, New Braunfels, Texas; granddaughters, Rena (John) Pope, Bellingham, Raedean (Bobby) Wilson, Chiloquin, Oregon, Erica (Matt) Wright, Everett, WA, Jessica (Luke) Strawn, Moses Lake, Traci (Erik) Strawn, Moses Lake; great grandchildren, Loren, Jr. Lorissa, Gavin, Raina, Calvin, Tessa, Michael, Taylor, Kyleigh, Colytn, and Lexi; great-great grandchildren, Loren, III and Alice. Step granddaughters, Donean Liguori, Dabrena Diab; step grandchildren, Michela, Derek, Jusdon, Marissa and Mason.

Merle was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Zell, one son, Stephen, one daughter, Tana, a brother-in-law, Harold Mask and a great grandson, Brennan Wright.