Families Are Forever


Calvin Lawrence "Larry" Merkley
April 12, 1943 - May 22, 2016

Larry Merkley, age 73, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Sunday, May 22, 2016, Due to complications following a ruptured brain aneurysm. He was born April 12, 1943 in Magrath, Alberta to Calvin and Verona Merkley. In 1967 he began his life's greatest adventure, marrying his sweetheart, Beverly Hamilton. They were blessed with 5 children, splitting their time between Canada and United States in there nearly 49 years together. Larry's varied career path, membership in the LDS church, and work in Alberta scouting organizations gave him many leadership opportunities. He began in the financial world, moved into the university academic world of instruction and administration, failed retirement four times and enjoyed the consulting world for the past several years.

A great lover of music and books, mountains and waterfalls, travels and adventures, movies and ice cream. Larry especially enjoyed the people he worked with, and all he shared his life with. He was known as a man of integrity, curiosity, and a balance of high expectations and acceptance, with the ability to "create order out of chaos," always knowing "there were no small projects." He taught his children from a young age that "it is more important to be kind than to be right."

Larry began his employment with the U of L in 1981 as an assistant professor in the School of Management. He was promoted to associate professor in 1983 and then served as the University's registrar beginning in 1988. Four years later, Larry was appointed the associate vice-president of administration. In 1996, he returned to his duties as a management professor and retired in 2000. For the past several years, he did consulting work.

Larry is survived by his wife Bev, sister DiAnn Hirsche (Bruce), brother Al Merkley (Jeri), in-laws Judy Whitehead (Ritchie), Burke Hamilton (Marcene), Donald Hamilton (Elinor), and Denise Sudgen (Richard). He will be forever loved and greatly missed by his children, David Merkley (Tammy), Melanie Lafranca (Steven), Valerie O'Barr (Kevin), LoraLee Laycock (Peter), Kimberly Leishman (Jesse), and by his grandchildren, Conner & Tyler Merkley, Natalie & Taylor Lafranca, Leah, Clara & Elsie O'Barr, Rayanne, Shelby & Anthony Laycock, and Talia, Mila and Declan Leishman.

Larry is predeceased by his parents Calvin and Verona Merkley in 2008.

We will be celebrating his life in a memorial service at a future date this summer at the LDS Chapel in Waterton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kiva organization (www.kiva.org), a favourite of Larry's because it supports small business around the world.