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Merrill Kenneth Stover was born Aug. 16, 1936, in New Deal, Mont., to Ollie and Ruth Stover and grew up in Noxon, Mont., with his siblings, Helen, Marvin, Loren and Virgil.

One of Merrill's fondest memories as a four year old child was attending congregation book study and the home made ice cream they had afterwards.

Merrill grew up with a very strong work ethic, and his skills were varied. Merrill worked in the timber industry as well as an underwater welder and retired in 1999 after a 32-year career as an electrician with the IBEW Local 48.

Merrill was baptized on May 22, 1954, as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and had the opportunity to attend the International Assembly in New York City in the late 1950s.

Merrill and Connie were married on April 2, 1961, in the log cabin Kingdom Hall in Thompson Falls.

Merrill and Connie raised five children: Teresa, Keith, Karen, Sharon and Andrew. They attended the Hood River, Oregon, congregation, and he served as a congregation servant for many years and had the opportunity to attend the 177th Class of the Kingdom Ministerial School in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Merrill volunteered doing electrical wiring on neighboring Kingdom Halls.

Merrill and Connie were in the Ridgefield Congregation from 1989 to June 2018 when they moved to Georgia to be with their daughter Sharon and her husband, Shane, where they attended the North Franklin, North Carolina, congregation.

Merrill and Connie flew out to visit family in August, and Merrill passed away in Vancouver, Wash., on September 24, 2022, with family by his side.

To the end, Merrill used his iPad for spiritual matters, telling others about Jehovah God and sharing JW.org at every opportunity.

Merrill is survived by wife Connie Stover of Clayton, Georgia.

Children: Teresa (Randy) Weldon, Ridgefield, Washington, (Keith Stover, deceased), Karen (Dan) Shivvers of Vancouver, Washington, Sharon (Shane Ramey) Stover-Ramey of Clayton, Georgia, Andrew (Jaime) Stover, Colton, Oregon, and multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held October 8, 2022, at Woodland Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.