Merle Castleton Call

Centerville, Utah–– Merle Castleton Call died on 25 January 2020 at age 98. She was the third of five children born to Harold James and Hilda Jane Howard Castleton in Malad, Idaho. She made many cherished childhood memories in Malad (and Garland, Utah) amidst grandparents and extended family. She married Benjamin Edward Call in 1941 in the Logan Utah Temple.They lived in several Idaho and Utah cities. They became parents to four children. Mom was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served in many capacities. She and Dad served a mission to the Church Museum of History and Art from 1984 to 1986. Mom enjoyed reading, knitting, oil-painting, singing with the Singing Mothers, sewing, writing biographies of her ancestors, and preparing balanced meals for her family––always complete with a properly set table. While growing up during the Great Depression, and while experiencing WW2 alone with two babies when her husband was a soldier in Europe, Mom perfected her innate sense of frugality, duty and determination. She often recited adages her father taught her as a child, such as: “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”  She loved tending roses, eating chocolate, smelling rain, and gazing at the Oquirrh Mountains from her kitchen window. Mom was preceded in death in 2015 by her eternal sweetheart. She was also predeceased by her parents; two brothers and one sister; a son-in-law, a grandson-in-law and two great-grandsons. She is survived by her youngest sister Mary Hall (Raymond) of Cedar City; her children Kathryn Hyer (Keith), Sandra Bishop (James – deceased), Ben Call (Judy Thayne) and Jane Randall (Randy); 20 grandchildren; 82 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great grandchildren; many wonderful in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. We appreciate every relative, friend, book-group member, ward member, home-care-aide and medical professional who brightened mom’s life by visiting, phoning, helping her shower, painting her fingernails, ministering, and taking her on RZR rides.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Rick’s Creek Chapel, 1475 North 50 East, Centerville, where a viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment in the Brigham City Utah Cemetery.