March 31, 1941 — November 9, 2019
Merlin Joy Peterson passed away Nov. 9, 2019, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Merlin was born March 31, 1941, in St. George, Utah to Joy Peterson and Erva Hansen. He married Carrie Ann Williams on Jan. 10, 1970, in Granger, Utah. The marriage was later solemnized in the St. George temple in 1972.
Merlin was raised in St. George and went to school at Woodward High School, now known as Dixie High. He lived in St. George his whole life, except for his time in service in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine Corps. He achieved the rank of Corporal E-4 and was honorably discharged in January 1966. He won the Expert Marksman Award with the M-1 Garand.
Merlin was a dishwasher at Kelly’s Cafe on Bluff Street for one of his first jobs. He worked for Dixie Plumbing after he was married. He started his own concrete finishing company in the early ’70s. Merlin loved to hunt, fish and trap. He loved his children and grandchildren and especially loved to hold the babies. Merlin was like MacGyver; he thought he could fix anything with baling wire and duct tape and was a real hard worker.
Merlin is survived by his wife, Carrie; three children, Amy (Randy) Cosby of Cedar City, Joy (Brenda) Peterson of Spanish Fork, and Jens (Jiyeon) Peterson of Eugene, Oregon; seven grandchildren; his sisters Karen (Derral) Stratton of Cedar City and Sherril (Kenneth) Newby of St. George; and his brother, James Peterson of St. George.
Funeral services will be Saturday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah, with a viewing from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, St. George, Utah, 435-673-2454.
Friends and family are invited to sign Merlin’s online guestbook at www.spilsburymortuary.com.