Merle Beller

Merle "Ole" Beller passed away March 29, 2007, in Woodburn, Ore., where he had been staying in the French Prairie Nursing Center.

He was born in Whitefish on Aug. 21, 1918. His parents were Anna and Pearl Beller, of Whitefish, where Beller families still reside in the Flathead Valley area.

Ole married Betty Joy Price from Kalispell in 1937. He was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp in Glacier National Park in the late 1930s and helped construct the Going-to-the-Sun Road. He, his father and his brothers Bill, Bud and Jack Beller also worked for the Great Northern Railroad in the late 1930s.

Betty and Ole moved to Newport, Ore., in 1939 where Ole eventually was employed with the Salem Oregon Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Co. as a lineman and repairman, retiring after 45 years. He later worked for 15 years with the BiMart Co. in Keiser, Ore., where he and Betty resided until her death on Nov. 3, 2003.

Ole and Betty were married 65 years and very much adored one another.

Merle then was cared for by Judi Slack, of Woodburn, Ore., and her brother, Monte Haynes, of West Linn, Ore., both longtime family friends. Judi later became Ole's companion and mate. They resided in Judi's home until he moved to a nursing home in October 2006. Ole had suffered both a fractured pelvic and fractured hip, prior to his demise and had not fully recovered from his surgery.

Preceding him in death were his son Denny, wife Betty and daughter Susan Prelli.

He leaves behind his son Steve Beller, of Brooks Ore.; grandson Kelly Beller/Brooks, of Oregon; granddaughter Sara Prelli, of Salem Ore.; granddaughter Cassandra Ronca, of Falls City, Ore.; grandson Gabriel Graika/Beller, of Idaho; grandson Daren Prelli, of Kentucky; great grandchildren William Ronca, of Fall City, Ore., and Nicole and Shawn Prelli, of Dry Ridge, Ky.; and sisters-in-law Rayma Beller, of Kalispell, and Marybell, of Anchorage, Alaska.

Memorial services were held April 7, 2007, at the Eureka Cemetery, in Newport, Ore.