Photography
Official Obituary of

Merle E. Cook

November 27, 1959 ~ April 8, 2014 (age 54) 54 Years Old

Merle Cook Obituary

Merle Eugene Cook, 54, of Salem passed away on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, in Salem.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 11, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. at the Salem Congregational Church in Salem with Pastor Aaron Helterbran officiating. Burial will be in the Spencer Cemetery rural Stockport. Friends may call after 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. that evening. A memorial has been established in his memory.

Merle was born on November 27, 1959, in Fairfield, the son of Larry Cook of Fairfield and Walter and Carolyn Church of Salem. He was united in marriage to Linda Watson on May 17, 1980, they later divorced. Merle loved going to car races at 34 Raceway and The Nationals at Knoxville. He was an avid NASCAR fan.

He is survived by his children; Dustin Cook and Terra Cook both of Burlington, two brothers; Brian Church of Atlantic, Iowa and Kenton Church of Mt. Pleasant, his sister; Jodie Bortf; his parents Walter and Carolyn Church of Salem and Larry Cook of Fairfield; three nephews and one niece; his aunts Jane Williams of Ottumwa and Jean Church of Mt. Pleasant; and several cousins.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents.


To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Merle E. Cook, please visit our floral store.


Services

You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Merle E. Cook
SHARE OBITUARY

© 2026 Murphy Funeral Home and Monuments. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS & TA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility