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Daniel James Merten, age 55, of Centreville, passed away Saturday, December 10, 2016, at Mercy Health Partners Lakeshore Campus in Shelby. He was born January 21, 1961, in Hart to Joseph and Mary Ann (Kokx) Merten. Dan graduated Hart High School 1979 and also Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, OK. Dan married the former Jannine Mieras in Oklahoma City, OK on June 12, 1987. He was employed at Centreville Public Schools and White Pigeon Community Schools as a transportation supervisor. He served in the US Air Force during Operation Desert Storm.
Dan Merten was a quiet man of few words. He never shared an opinion or advice, until he knew all the facts. Dan was a loving husband and father. His family was always foremost and important to him. He loved and cherished his wife, children and his parents. Dan loved his hometown of Hart, Michigan and had hopes of retiring there. He loved Silver Lake and the sand dunes taking his Jeep for rides there. He was a vintage car collector and was proud of his 1965 Chevrolet Pick Up truck he restored. Dan was very patriotic having served in the US Air Force and deployed to Operation Desert Storm with 963rd AWACS unit. Being very civic and community minded, Dan served on the personnel, zoning committee and was a councilman in Centreville. He was employed as the transportation supervisor with the Centreville and White Pigeon Community Schools, where the students knew him as Dan the Man in the big blue van.
Daniel is survived by his wife: Jannine Merten; one daughter: Amanda Merten of Centreville, MI and one son: Abe Merten; his father Joseph Ervin and mother Mary Ann (Kokx) Merten of Hart; two sisters: Katrina (Mark) Pehrson and Mary Jo (Robert) Schaner of Hart; and five brothers: William (Kim) Merten of Hart, John (Norma Vasquez) Merten of Hart, Richard (Karen) Merten of Hart, Joseph (Margarita) Merten of Rothbury and Paul (Noell) Merten of Hart; Father In Law, Don Mieras of Sturgis, MI; Sister In Law, Josey (Floyd) Brouwer of Hudsonville, MI; three Brothers In Law, Joe (Kathy) Mieras of Sturgis, MI, Jon (Dodie) Mieras of Sturgis, MI, and Jaime Mieras of Centreville, MI. Dan is also survived by his canine friend Chumlee. He was preceded in death by his Mother In Law, Joan Mieras and his grandparents.
The Memorial Services for Mr. Merten will be Friday, December 16, 2016, at 11:00 am at King Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Hart with Pastor Steve Young officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at King Funeral Home & Cremation Services-Hart. There will also be a service Sunday, December 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm at Centreville Elementary School -Gym, 190 Hogan St., Centreville, MI 49032 with Pastor Tim Brondyke officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. The family requests that any memorials be directed to Crystal Valley Care Fund, P.O. Box 451, Hart, MI 49420 or to the Centreville Public Schools, 190 Hogan St., Centreville, MI 49032.
