Merry F. Valdahl

Merry Frances Valdahl, age 88 of New Hampton, passed away in her sleep on October 30th, 2020. Due to Covid, a family gathering will be held in her honor on Wednesday, November 4th at the Conway-Markham funeral home followed by a graveside service with Pastor Kevin Frey officiating. Burial will be in New Hampton Cemetery with Spencer Dedic, Brad Dedic, Gray Dedic, Wally Murphy and Mark Steffes as casket bearers. Honorary casket bearers are Adam Brown, Lucas Brown, Jacob Dedic, John Inserra, and Sam Worley. Merry was born October 8th, 1932 in Toledo Iowa to John A. and Irma (Harris) Gray. She spent her entire childhood in Toledo graduating in 1949. She attended Iowa State Teacher’s College from which she earned her teaching certification and taught elementary school in Solon, Iowa and then later in New Hampton for a total of 17 years of teaching. She married Lumir Dedic and had two sons, Gray and Brad. Merry married James (Jim) Valdahl on August 19th, 1972 and she was blessed to add Nancy, Susan, Karen, and Michael to her family. She became a partner in the Gardner Drug pharmacy in downtown New Hampton with Jim and they were married for 42 years upon Jim’s passing in March of 2015. Merry was fond of teaching and was very good at taking care of her elementary students. She loved to do arts and crafts with them and carried that home to her own children as they were growing up. She also had an eye for decoration and was helpful to many in the community with home décor, picking out paint samples, wall paper, and many Hallmark knick-knacks and decorations. She and Jim were avid bird watchers and were also fortunate enough to do some traveling in their later years. She was devoted to her family and loved cooking and baking for them and hosting holiday gatherings. She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the New Hampton Cultural Center. Merry is survived by her children, Nancy (Thomas) Inserra of Cave Creek, AZ, Gray “Tony” Dedic of Hayward, CA, Susan Worley of Phoenix , AZ, Karen (Mark) Steffes of Cedar Falls, Brad (Beth) Dedic of Roland, and Mike Valdahl of St. Paul MN.; grandchildren John and Elizabeth Inserra, Lucas and Adam Brown, Sam Worley, and Jacob and Spencer Dedic; Sisters Gloria Zajicek, Dianne (Roger) Gray and brother John Harris Gray; brother-in-law Thomas (Linda) Valdahl and sister-in-law Donna Vogt as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband James and her parents, John and Irma Gray, sister-in-law Mary Heintz, brother-in-law Gaylord Vogt, sister-in-law Molly Gray, brother-in-law Joe Zajicek and nephew George “Rusty” Zajicek.