Stella L. Merkouris, age 93, of Cambridge and formerly of Isanti died November 24, 2013 at GracePointe Crossing Gables West. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, November 30th at Long Lake Lutheran Church in Isanti with Rev. Matt Flom officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church and also from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. Friday, November 29th at Strike Funeral Home – Cambridge Chapel. Interment will be in Long Lake Community Cemetery.
Stella Lucille Merkouris was born August 28, 1920 in Isanti, Minnesota to Arthur and Selma (Anderson) Ohlsen. She attended the Long Lake Country School and graduated from St. Francis High School in 1937. She also studied at Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis. On December 27, 1947 Stella married James S. Merkouris at Long Lake Lutheran Church. They lived for a time in Minneapolis, but returned to rural Isanti, where they raised six children.
Stella loved the country and enjoyed walking in the woods. She loved animals, nature, gardening, crossword puzzles and music. She was an excellent homemaker and enjoyed canning and baking. She was an active part of the community helping to start a 4-H club, Mother’s Club and enjoyed having friends and family over for coffee.
To Stella, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was the foundation on which her life was built and lived. She exemplified this faith by her kindness, sweetness, generosity and humility. She often would begin her day by saying, “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24) She liked to sing and had a lovely voice. She was a lifelong member of Long Lake Lutheran Church and served as organist and soloist for many years as well as being involved in Ladies Aid and other church activities.
She has passed on a rich spiritual heritage and a love of music to her children and grandchildren. She was truly the “heart” of our home. She will be greatly missed by her family and many others.
Stella Merkouris passed away November 24, 2013 at GracePointe Crossing Gables West in Cambridge at the age of 93 years, 2 months and 27 days. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, James; son, John; sister, Marion Slater; and brother, Wynlow “Buddy” Ohlsen.
Stella will be lovingly remembered by her three sons, Paul (Amelia) Merkouris of Anchorage, Alaska, Tim (Renee) Merkouris of North Branch, Jerry (Paula) Merkouris of Valley Springs, South Dakota; two daughters, Susan Merkouris of Austin, Texas, Karin (David) Bohon of Appleton, Wisconsin; daughters-in-law, My Quyen Merkouris of Vietnam, Ann Merkouris of Isanti; 26 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and by other relatives and friends.
My Dearest Stella, you will always be in my heart, until we meet again in Heaven… Love Connie
Dear “Family” of both Stella, and my dear friend and housemate Susie Merkouris,
We are yours for the joy and family times, though sad, surrounding you. Each of us have these kindred, connective ways to ‘set sail’ a very dear heart who has left our ‘station’ here. Yet the Truth still is, we are today able to know how Stella is ‘right there’, still, even MORE able to be there beside you… than Ever~!!! Rest assured, she is magnificent in her Peace within, and as Well, is “Ever” more able to “Be There”… for the Lord God, you each…AND (incredibly today!!!) be of genuine service to All Mankind. You see, we tend to ‘forget’ that we were born to fill a certain ‘niche’ for God. We know that niche well, when situated “Above”… yet how we ‘fit in’ here on Earth is like being in a time-bomb way to ‘get this and that done’ on time and in a hurry. Often we never realize that ‘hurry’ thing is God Upstairs, ‘poking’ us to BE SOMETHING generous and kind. Well, you each HAVE. She is your truer testament to utter Goodness, so be well aware of JUST HOW MUCH Stella means to God. Yet you are hers, too… and verily ALWAYS SHALL BE. So please, always ‘think’ of her with great honor and respect, for the genuine Heart that she so dearly did ‘own’. This week IS your absolute testimony to her, that level of goodness, a will to survive, and to even tell a decent joke along the hard-driven path back to God. She did. Let’s do our best to ‘relive’ Stella’s testimony, again… and AGAIN… till ‘death’ do we all part~!
I am yours for allowing this dear dedication to be there amongst your own, as God’s Words in true testimony of a Soul there who truly ‘Walked His Divine Talk’~! Kiss~!
Your friend in Arms Way,
Suzie Steakley Johnson,
always God-Guided, in each and every word ‘writ’~!