Jo Ann Merrill

JoAnn (Rusk) Merrill, the daughter of Clayton James Rusk and Lucille Harriet (Adams) Rusk was born on August 2, 1954, in Spencer, Iowa.  Her childhood years were spent on the family farm near Dickens.  She was a member of 4-H and had a passion for singing.  Jo was a member of the Dickens United Methodist Church where she participated in choir and played the organ.  Jo graduated from South Clay Community School in Gillett Grove, Iowa, and furthered her education at Northwestern College in Orange City. 

     Jo married Bruce Irving Merrill on August 11, 1974, at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer.  Following their marriage, they lived in a pink trailer home in Primghar, which was later moved to an acreage near Greenville, Iowa.  In 1978 Bruce and Jo moved into their newly built lifelong home.  Over the years Jo and Bruce spent many joyful hours turning a farm field into a beautiful acreage.  Jo was an elementary teacher in the Spencer Community School District for her entire 31-year career.  She touched the lives of countless students and families, as well as her fellow teachers and co-workers.  Jo enjoyed the outdoors, and spent time camping, canoeing, and gardening.  She liked decorating her home, feeding birds, and she LOVED cats! 

     After Jo lost her husband, Bruce, in 2009 to brain cancer, she became involved with Brains Together For A Cure in Rochester, Minnesota.  Jo’s passion for this cause led her to start the Spencer Brain Tumor Walk which locally raised thousands of dollars for brain tumor research.

     She passed away at her home on Thursday, November 23, 2017, after a courageous battle with brain cancer.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bruce; and her in-laws Irving and Darlene Merrill.

     She is survived by two brothers and their wives:  Bob and Nira Rusk of Dickens and Jim and Jan Rusk of Greenville, Iowa; nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, other relatives, and many friends.  

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