Barbara J. Merryman

Barbara J. Merryman, age 87, of Kearney, died Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at Mother Hull Home in Kearney. Funeral services were held Monday, October 18, 2021, at the First Baptist Church in Kearney. Reverend Sean Dougherty officiated and private family burial will be later. Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church or Crane River Theater. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral. com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney are in charge of arrangements.

Barbara was born on September 29, 1934, in rural Shelton to Edwin J. and Katie M. (Lyon) Manfull. She attended Gibbon High School and graduated with the class of 1951. She later attended Kearney State College and graduated with a bachelors degree in 1971. Barbara married William C. Merryman on March 30, 1956, in Gibbon. She taught school in area country schools and was a media specialist at Grand Island Central Catholic School. She was a long-time member of First Baptist Church in Kearney. Barbara was also a member of the B.P.O. Does, ladies golf league, Kearney Area Retired Teachers Association, Kearney Women’s Club and the Kearney Toastmasters. She also hosted several high school exchange students over the years.

Surviving relatives include her daughters, Debra (Mike) Eickhoff and Kim (Steve) Reidy, both of Kearney, and Jane Shurrush, of Nazareth, Israel; sister, Doris and Don Haney, of Lubbock, Texas; six grandchildren, Chad (Jill) Eickhoff, Allie (Jared) Argo, Khriesto (Nardeen) Shurrush, Haneen (Rami) Mazzawi, Jace Reidy, Shauna (Mannie) Reinsch; and eight great-grandchildren.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband; two brothers; son-in-law, Amin Shurrush; and grandchildren, Eleyah Shurrush and Shelby Reidy.