Hastings resident Delores F. Merkel, 99, passed away Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings.

Delores was born July 1, 1926, in Glenvil to George and Dena (Kahman) Tjarks.

She graduated from Glenvil High School in 1943. On March 16, 1945, she was united in marriage to Donald Merkel in Glenvil. They shared many wonderful years together before Donald preceded her in death in 1965. A devoted member of Peace Lutheran Church, Delores’s faith was a cornerstone of her life. She moved from Fairfield to Hastings in 2006, where she continued to enjoy time with family, friends, and her church community. Delores was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald Merkel; sisters and brothers-in-law, Lorna and Delbert Brown, and Ilene and Frank Gerdes; brothers, Delmar Tjarks and Myron Tjarks; sisterin- law, Dolores Tjarks; brothers-inlaw, Duane Schliep and Steve Sadd; daughter-in-law, Judy Merkel; son-in-law, Larry Kent; and several dear friends.

Survivors include sons, Ronald Merkel of Omaha and Neil Merkel of Hastings; daughter, Donna Merkel Kent of Hastings; grandchildren: Cyndi and Jeff Nelson of Omaha, Tami Merkel of Omaha; great-grandchildren: Danielle and Kendall Kucera of Omaha, Dalton DeWald of Phoenix, AZ, Amber and John Childers of Gulf Port, MS, Julia Nelson of Omaha; great-great-grandson, Miles Kucera; brother, Eugene Tjarks; sisters, Frances Schliep and Barbara Sadd; sisters-in-law, Ila Tjarks and Mary Tjarks; a host of nieces and nephews.

Memorial Services were held at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, at Peace Lutheran Church in Hastings with Rev. Micah R. Gaunt officiating. Burial was at Glenvil Cemetery in Glenvil.

Memorials may be given to Peace Lutheran Church. The service was live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Delores’s obituary and click the play button shown toward the bottom of the page. Condolences may be sent to the family at www. lbvfh.com.

Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving the family.