Merlin G. Spendlove

Merlin G. Spendlove, age 79, of Tooele, passed away on Feb. 26, 2017, after a short illness. He was born in Ogden, Utah on Oct. 19, 1937, to Aven and May Gillespie Spendlove. The family moved from Morgan, Utah, to Tooele when Merlin was a young child. He attended schools in Tooele and graduated from Tooele High School in 1956. He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol during his senior year. He was a member of the Utah Army National Guard from February 1955 to February 1963 and was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington from September 1961 to August 1962 during the Berlin Crisis. Merlin married Barbara Rhine — the love of his life — on Sept. 2, 1961, and the couple made their home in Tooele. Merlin was employed at Dugway Proving Ground for 37 years working in Supply, Logistics and Procurement, and most ardently loved his job as a data base programmer in Supply. Merlin developed a love for music at a very young age, and during their boyhood, Merlin and his brother Dennis would play duets, Merlin on the steel guitar and Dennis on the accordion. As a young boy Merlin once won $25 at a talent contest playing the steel guitar. This love of music lasted throughout his life, and Merlin used his talent as a bass player on many occasions with The Karl Swan Orchestra. Merlin always liked listening to “cool jazz.” He loved to work with wood and spent numerous hours in his woodshop making piggy banks for the grandkids and other projects (big and small) for his family and friends, many times from his own sketches. Merlin was a voracious reader and his favorite genre was mystery/detective stories as well as Isaac Asimov books. He embraced new technology and was excited when e-readers came out as they would allow for instantaneous delivery of just about any book he wanted to read. Merlin had a love for all things philatelic and was a prodigious stamp collector. If any of his family ever needed anything Merlin would do whatever he could to help us solve the problem or take care of the situation. Merlin is survived by his always-loved sweetheart Barbara; his brother Dennis (Faun) Spendlove of Tooele; his children: Jeff (Lisa) Spendlove, Clatskanie, Oregon; Julie (Brent) Hunt, Stansbury Park, Utah; Michael (Colleen) Spendlove, Tooele; Brent Spendlove, Spokane Valley, Washington; and Linda (Shaun) Wood, West Jordan, Utah; as well as 14 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, four nephews and one niece. Merlin was preceded in death by his parents, an older brother Aven Jr., and one granddaughter Allison. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 3, 2017 at Tate Mortuary at 11 a.m. with a viewing one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Tooele City Cemetery.