Merna Selma Fernau was born August 11, 1910 to John and Lillie (Schumann) Fritz in Boyd County, Nebraska and she died July 6, 2006 at the Gregory Community Hospital in Gregory, South Dakota at the age of 95 years.

Growing up with four sisters, Merna became dads boy, milking cows, feeding pigs, stacking hay, and shoveling grain. She attended Fairfax High School for three years. However, her senior year at Butte high School went out with a bang when she married William John Weber on the Senior High sneak day, May 12, 1928. William John was the joyous offspring of this union. She worked as a housekeeper and a childcare-giver for one of the Fernau boys. She met another brother, John Joshua on March 10, 1931. This led to a happy marriage in ONeill, Nebraska on October 26, 1931. Three squalling brats were the result of this union: Merna Mae, John Robert and Daryl Arthur.

Living in an old log house on the Ponca Creek the logs rumbled and bounced with barn-dance type music, dancing and food. Neighbors and friends joined the family after a Ponca Creek flood, where fish were caught bare handed for the fish fry, pot luck and yummy pies that were enjoyed by all. After spending a year on the Clifton Place, then one more on the Voght Place, Merna and Bud bought the family farm between Butte and Spencer. They raised animals, crops and kids.. Merna raised, dressed and sold thousands of fryer chickens and hundreds of ducks to help keep food on the table. She loved gathering fruit and walnuts to supplement the family later. Best of all were the homemade buns coming out of the oven just when the kids arrived home school.

Merna and Bud retired to Butte in 1954, where they joined the legion club. She started a canasta club and they ran the sale barn caf for a while. Merna loved to cook and her family and friends loved her bounty. She hand pieced and quilted with the tiniest of stitches up until the time she entered the Rosebud Country Care Center in 2001. While there she enjoyed visitors, bingo, reading fishing magazines, eating Jacks fish and scrabble.

Merna is survived y her children: William J. Weber of Butte, NE; John R. (Jack) and wife Norma Fernau of Burke, SD; Merna Mae Venker of St. Louis, MO and Daryl A. and wife Julie Fernau of San Raphael, Philippines; 12 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2006 at 10:00 AM at the Community Bible Church in Butte, NE. Burial will be in the Butte Cemetery, Butte. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the Church.