Merle Milton Hostetler

Merle Milton Hostetler, age 92, who lived most of his life in rural Lowpoint, IL, passed away peacefully at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL after a short illness.

Merle was born on March 17, 1926 to Daniel and Ella (Unzicker) Hostetler of rural Lowpoint. He was preceded in death by his parents and all of his brothers and sisters, Chris, Art, Ada (Gross), Edna (Kropf), Raymond, and Ethel (Shrock). He is survived and will be remembered by many nieces and nephews.

Merle accepted Christ in his youth and joined the Linn Amish-Mennonite Church, where his father was minister and later bishop. He attended Linn A. M. Church for most of his adult life, often leading hymns during church services. In later years while living at Maple Lawn Homes in Eureka, he attended services there. Merle also enjoyed singing in a men's quartet for many years.

He spent most of his adult life as a grain farmer and cattle breeder in rural Lowpoint, raising registered Shorthorn club calves and selling them to local 4-H members. During the 1960s, one of his calves was shown at the National Livestock Exhibition in Chicago, IL. He had a lifelong love for animals and even during his years in Maple Lawn was allowed to keep his pet cat Tootsie as a companion.

Although Merle never married, family was important to him, and he helped support his mother and father for more than 20 years after his father gradually lost his sight in the late 1950s and early 1960s and could no longer work. As nieces and nephews were born, "Unc" enjoyed spending time with them, and took them on a variety of adventures. There were kittens to be found in the haymow, always a beautiful Laddie or Lassie collie dog in the yard, mushrooms to be hunted in the spring in his timber, fish to be caught in the farm pond, ice skating in the winter, rides on his black horse "Star", outings to watch local men's and women's softball games, wiener roasts back in the timber, ice cream or candy treats at the end of a visit, occasional trips to museums in Chicago or Springfield, and much more. As a child, Merle was a good student and continued to love reading, especially outdoor adventure stories. Over the years, he read more than 50 books out loud to nieces and nephews who lived in the area. Like his mother before him, Merle was also known to write poems to celebrate birthdays and other special family occasions.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 16, 2018, at Cazenovia Mennonite Church with Pastors Dennis Kennell and Steve Ulrich officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2018, from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Mason Funeral Home in Metamora and also one hour prior to services at church on Monday. Burial will be in Stewart Harmony Cemetery in rural Metamora. Online condolences at www.masonfuneralhomes.com.