Merle Stephens Alberts was a Christmas Day baby, b orn o n D ecember 2 5th, 1 937, a t t he hospital in Ainsworth to John J. Alberts and M. Leone Peacock Alberts. He was joined two and a h alf years l ater b y h is y ounger s ister, Marilyn. The c hildren g rew u p o n t he f arm just west of Ainsworth. They both attended Ainsworth Grade School and later, Ainsworth High School. Merle graduated with the class of 1956. D uring h is h igh s chool years, he w as active i n F FA a ll f our years, and t rack t hree years. As Merle was growing up, he learned the skills of hunting, trapping and fishing. This he did all through his high school years. During the rest of his life, Merle enjoyed hunting and fishing. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was inducted in August of 1956. Boot camp was at Oceanside, California, followed by advanced combat training at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, Calif. Upon his honorable discharge from the Corps, two years later, he returned to Ainsworth and then went on to Murphysboro, Ill., where he and his high school sweetheart, Mildred Young, were married. The couple returned to Ainsworth and lived with Merle’s parents for a few weeks. In mid November, they gathered up their possessions and headed for California a few days before Thanksgiving, 1958. His first job was with the postal service and a year or so later he got on with the La Habra Fire Department. Merle loved this job and was employed there for 25 years. After his retirement, Merle had his own upholstery business. I n a ddition t o h is f ire d epartment w ork h e h ad o ther j obs including the work he and Millie did together for several years with a house painting service. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Tom in August 1959, and Teri in July 1962. Survivors include his beloved wife Millie; son Tom (Penne) Alberts; daughters Dr. Jessica Alberts Alvarez (Adam Alvarez) and Brittney, daughter T eri M orales, h er s on M arc ( Cindy) M orales, C laire, M ila, Isaac, her son John Morales, daughter Cecilia Morales and her daughter Elaina; sister Marilyn Stewart; brother-in-law Tom (Laural) Young; sister-in-law Marci Martin; and cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends. Preceding Merle in death were his parents John and Leone (Peacock) Alberts; parents-in-law Tom and Mildred Young; brothers-in-law Jerry Stewart and Cliff Martin; and son-in-law Frank Morales. Following a diagnosis of cancer two and a half years ago, Merle passed away June 10. As per his wishes, no service will be held at this time.