Obituary of Merrill Alexander Black

Black, Merrill Alexander
October 30, 1920 – March 15, 2018

Merrill Alexander Black, age 97, passed away on March 15, 2018 at Saskatoon Sk. Son of the late Alex and Mayme (Henderson) Black of Rosetown.  Predeceased by his cherished wife Barbara (Moore) and his sister Shirley (Wedgwood), and his in-laws Jim Wedgwood, Irene (Cook) Black Mountford, Wilf and Alberta (Moore)Wagner and Bob and Shirley (Randall) Moore. Survived by his children Wendy Black-Kostuk of Edmonton, Kathryn (Bill Anderson) of Wadena, Robert of Toronto, and Deborah of Saskatoon; and his brothers Neil (Glenna) of Saskatoon and Allan (Donna) of Calgary, his sister-in-law Dorothy Moore, and his cousin Bill Black, an honorary uncle in the family.  Grandfather of Alexandra Black (Adam Switenky), Jeffrey Kostuk; Lindsay Anderson (Amy), and Ryley Anderson (Andrea). Great-grandfather of Haydyn Black Switenky; William, Caeleigh, Olivia; Mikiya, Ayla, and Harlow Anderson. Uncle of Colin Wedgwood; Brian, Larry, Ross, Grant Black and Anne McKinnon; Rhonda Fulton, Leanne Stoesz and David Black; Wayne and Glenn Wagner and Karen Pinno; Sheree, David and Jim Moore. Merrill trained in accounting and after working for Colwell Mills and at Bowman Brothers, among others, he ultimately worked in Stores for Prairie Airways in Moose Jaw during WWII. His friend Ed Scissons was impressed by his work ethic, and set him up in business at Lucky Lake after the war, where he met Barbara. They married in 1947 and began a family, then moved to Saskatoon in 1956. He first worked with BA Oil at a gas station, then sold cars for Merlin Motors for many years until he passed The Canadian Securities Course in 1970 at age 50. He worked for and opened several brokerage houses over the years, retiring from RBC-Dominion Securities in 1995. He was defined by his very powerful work ethic, honesty and integrity in all things, formed by growing up as a farmer's son during the Depression. He was further defined by home and family, and encouraged us all to educate and improve ourselves to the greatest extent possible, and to follow our own particular passion.  After 57 years together, Barbara's death in 2005 was hard on him: that is why we're content in our belief that he is happy to be reunited with her. From his early training on the farm, he could always be heard to say, "don't throw that away - there's a lots of good left in that yet!” He seemed to have lived his very long life that way to the end… there was still lots of good left in him. Donations, if desired, may be sent to the Barbara R. Black Scholarship at the Faculty of Music, University of Saskatchewan, or to a charity of the donor's choice. A Memorial service for Merrill will be held on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Grace Westminster United Church, (505 10th St. E) beginning at 1:00 p.m. Merrill's cremated remains will be interred at the Columbarium of Woodlawn Cemetery together with those of his wife at a private service.