Grandmother Merk and Her Boys:

Here is a picture of my Grandmother Mary Merk. It is almost scary how much Dad and I look like her! In the picture of the boys you will see Dad's older brother Charles. He was killed in West Plains, Mo. at the age of 17. He was at a town dance and someone threw a bomb into the building and many, many were killed.
When Grandpa Merk and my Grandmother divorced, she got custody of Dad and Grandpa had custody of Charles.