Merlin John Chana, 81, of rural St. Edward, Nebraska, passed away peacefully with his daughters at his side Tuesday, October 22, 2024, after a battle with cancer.

The funeral service will be held on Monday, October 28, at 10:30 AM at St. Luke's United Church of Christ in Columbus with Rev. Adam Lassen officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday, from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Gass Haney Funeral Home and continue Monday, from 9:30 AM until service time, at the church. There will be a family prayer service on Monday, at 10:15 AM, at the church. Interment will be in Roselawn Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Farm 4 A Cure.

Merlin, the youngest of six children, was born January 2, 1943, to Perry and Edna (Leader) Chana at their farm near Petersburg. During his childhood, the family moved many times among the Petersburg, Akron, and Albion areas. They also spent some time in Alderley, Wisconsin, but the "Good Life" in Nebraska called them back again.

As a young man, he attended St. John's Elementary in Petersburg, country school near Akron, and Albion High School. Soon after, he moved to Genoa where he made some lifelong friends. In 1964, he began six years of service with the Army National Guard's 134th Infantry Division.

The next and best chapter of his life started when he met his wife, Gaylene Abegglen. They wed May 4, 1968, at St. Luke's church and settled on their small farm near St. Edward in 1971. Their common values, work ethics, and sense of humor established a stable foundation for their children Lori, Jeff, and Amy.

Merlin was an active member of St. Luke's church where he celebrated many family milestones. His steady and loyal personality was reflected in his 33 years of work as a forklift operator at Behlen's Manufacturing. After retirement, Merlin could fully dedicate his time to his true passion tending his crops, cattle, and equipment.

Family and friends will remember his quiet and humble nature. He was a reliable and hard-working man who had a talent for being able to fix and fabricate nearly anything that had wheels or was made of metal. His fondness for classic cars and trucks dated back to his youth and courtship with Gaylene and their nearly identical '66 Chevys. His most well-known hobby was collecting and restoring antique tractors. He always made sure that these were ready and waiting to give rides when his grandchildren visited.

Merlin will be dearly missed by his survivors: daughters Lori (David) Noble of Albion, Amy (Jarrod) Wiechert of Lincoln; his grandchildren Clark (Mikayla) Noble of Seward, Spencer (Emily) Noble of Kearney, Kade (fiancé Destiny) Noble of Omaha; Max and Sydney Wiechert of Lincoln; great-grandchildren Willis and Miles Noble of Seward, Wesley and expected baby Noble of Kearney; brother Don Chana of St. Edward; sisters Jeanine Kennedy of Cedar Rapids, Vivian Carnahan of Fremont, Charlotte (Larry) Courtright of Santa Clarita, California; brother-in-law Daniel (Connie) Abegglen; sisters-in-law Diana (Herb) Luchsinger, Linda (Cal) Lacy, Rita (Ron) Trofholz; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Merlin was preceded in death by his parents Perry and Edna Chana, wife Gaylene, son Jeff Chana, sister Maxine Voichoski, sister-in-law Millie Chana, brothers-in-law Ted Voichoski, Carroll Kennedy, and Norm Carnahan.