In Memory of LaMerle S. Wilson

LaMerle S. Wilson, age 99, of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa (formerly of Galva, Iowa) passed away April 21, 2026, at the Pioneer Valley Living & Rehab of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.  

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the United Methodist Church of Holstein, Iowa. Pastor Kristin Boysen will officiate.

A Visitation will be held prior to the service from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the United Methodist Church of Holstein, Iowa.

A Private Family Inurnment will be held at a later date in the Galva Township East Cemetery of Galva, Iowa.

The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa, is in charge of the funeral arrangements.  Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com

Memorials in LaMerle’s name may be directed to the Silver Creek United Methodist Church, Holstein United Methodist Church, Galva Fire Department or Holstein Taxi service.

LaMerle Shirley Wilson, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, and friend, was born on March 22, 1927, on the Ed Anderson Farm in Eureka Township, Sac County, Iowa. She was the third child of Joe W. and Ethel E. (Carlberg) Rydberg.

LaMerle grew up in a close-knit rural community and received her education in the Galva Community School District, graduating with the class of 1944. Following her passion for learning, she earned her Standard Elementary Teaching Certificate from Buena Vista College in June of 1946 and began a career in education, teaching in the towns of Kiron, Holstein, and Galva. 

On October 23, 1949, LaMerle married her high school classmate and lifelong love, Roy Wilson, at the Schaller Presbyterian Church. They built their life together on the Wilson family farm in Silver Creek Township, a farm honored three times as a Century Family Farm. There they raised their three children: Nadine Louise, and twins Clyde Vern and Connie Jo.

LaMerle continued to teach while nurturing a loving home and remaining active on the family farm. A devoted member of the Silver Creek United Methodist Church, she found joy in a wide range of hobbies including genealogy, stamp collecting, jigsaw puzzles, and card games like Canasta and Cribbage. She also served as a 4-H leader, passing on her core values and commitment to the next generation. 

From 1975 through 2014, LaMerle and Roy embraced a snowbird lifestyle, wintering in Arizona, Texas, and Florida. They explored Hawaii and Alaska, made lifelong friendships, and spent countless hours enjoying shuffleboard and the simple pleasures of travel. Yet each spring, they faithfully returned to Iowa to farm the land and, more importantly, to spend time with family. 

LaMerle’s greatest joy in life was her family. She is survived by her daughters, Nadine (Doug O’Connell) Bray of Ocean Isle Beach, NC, and Connie (Glenn) Bosse of Jefferson, SD; grandchildren Ashleigh (Justin) Keegan and Kara (Nick) Meisinger; great-grandchildren Harlie Jo, Presley Lynn, and Gwendolyn Nichole; sisters-in-law Janice Rydberg and Marge Rydberg; and many cherished nieces, nephews, and friends across the country. 

LaMerle is now reunited in eternal peace with her husband of 65 years Roy; son Clyde; great-grandson Westly Nicholas Meisinger; her parents Joe and Ethel Rydberg; sisters Joetta Rydberg, Relaine Grotjohn, and Marlys Bennett; and brothers Dwayne, LuVerne “Bud”, and Ronald Rydberg.

Her legacy lives on in the lessons she taught, the family she nurtured, and the many lives she touched along the way.