Mervin Lyle Schweitzer
Mervin Lyle Schweitzer, age 81, of Cairo, was received into the Lord’s arms on Sunday, December 24, 2023, surrounded by his family at Regional Medical Center in Grand Island.
To honor Mervin’s wishes, he will be cremated. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. today, Thursday, January 4, 2024, at the Cairo Christ Lutheran Church. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 5, at Cairo Christ Lutheran Church with Pastor Brian Wright officiating. Inurnment will follow at Mount Pleasant. Casual attire is requested.
He was the second child born to Alarion and Marie (Beckler) Schweitzer on January 17, 1942, five miles south of Cairo by Prairie Creek. A few years later the family moved three miles west of Cairo, where he started his education in a small country school along Highway 2. Then the family moved one mile west and a 1⁄4 mile north of Cairo, where he attended Cairo school until his graduation in 1960. He helped his father on the farm until he started working for Lester Schweitzer Trucking. At this time he was united in marriage to Karon Luhn on July 3, 1964, and to this union they were blessed with one son, Rodney.
They lived in Kearney where he worked for Missouri Valley Construction helping with the construction of Interstate 80 on the rebar crew between Aurora and Lexington. They moved back to Cairo, and were later divorced. He worked part-time as a weekend town deputy of Cairo. He worked for Cairo Plumbing and Well Drilling, doing house plumbing and working on windmills for many years. During this time he bought and operated the Cairo Laundromat. He later worked at Leprino Foods in Ravenna, where he retired.
Mervin was a member of the Cairo Volunteer Fire Department for 14 years. He was baptized at an early age at the Mennonite Church of Wood River and later a member of the Cairo Christ Lutheran Church and the churches’ early choir. He was in a Monday and Thursday night league at Cairo Bowl. He thoroughly enjoyed fishing at Davis Creek, along the banks of the Loup River, and on the Cairo Fire Department fishing trips. Scrapping metal and going to Wieck’s Auction to find “bargains” were some of his favorite pastimes.
He was an avid gardener, taking large cabbages to the county fair and winning ribbons. He also enjoyed his time at the Cairo Gathering Place having morning coffee and having a Schlitz beer for happy hour with his friends.
Mervin is survived by son, Rod and wife Lisa (Yungdahl) Schweitzer, of rural Cairo; grandchildren, Ryan and Elizabeth Schweitzer, of rural Cairo; sister, Leona Saltzman, of Seward; brother, Marlin (Sharon) Schweitzer, of Cairo; an uncle and two aunts, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Also former brothers- in-law, Jerry (Lois) Luhn, of Cairo, and Francis (Marcy) Luhn, of Grand Island.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alarion and Marie Schweitzer; sister, Glenda Rediger; brothers-in-law, Ed Saltzman and Gene Rediger; former in-laws, Wilford and Lelia Luhn; and former brotherin- law, Sherman Luhn.