Obituary of Merle Nadine Cozad

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

MERLE N. "HONEY" COZAD

Merle Nadine "Honey" Cozad, 102, passed away on August 21, 2019.

Merle Nadine "Honey" Cozad, daughter of Elmer and Helen Knutson, was born on January 13, 1917, in Wilsonville, Nebraska, where she graduated from high school. Merle married A. Rex Cozad on October 10, 1935, and they had four children, Beverly Jean, John Elwyn, David Charles, and Mary Lynn.

Merle was active in the Lyle community where they raised their family. She participated in community activities and was an active member of the Lyle Methodist Church and the local 4-H club. They left Norcatur, Kansas, to Hutchinson, Kansas, where they spent many years traveling, Friday night dancing, and the social life that came with Rex's political career.

Merle was a very loving and exceptionally strong woman who had a passion for life and her family. There was never a family event that Merle and Rex missed whether it e marriages, graduations, soccer, baseball or football games. Merle was a true matriarch in every sense of the meaning. She showed her family how to love and to be strong. She was our leader, our strength, and our family glue.

Merle was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Helen Knutson; brother, Meredith Knutson; husband of 68 years, Rex Cozad; three of her children, Beverly Morton, John Cozad and David Cozad; and one great-grandson, Shawn Petty.

Survivors include: her daughter, Mary Vanderburg, and husband, Bill; daughter-in-law, Karen Cozad; 15 grandchildren, Tony, Jana, Lynn, Kenny, Sherri, Laura, Tracy, Jon, Jeremy, Kim, Kari, Erin, Nikki, Dusty and Morgan; 28 great-grandchildren; and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

There will be a visitation Friday, August 23, 2019 from 6-8pm at Langsford Funeral Home in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Another visitation will take place Sunday, August 25, 2019 at Enfield Funeral Home in Norton, Kansas from 5-7pm. Graveside service and interment will be held in the Lyle Cemetery on Monday, August 26, 2019 at 10:30am. Contributions may be made in Merle's memory to Great Lakes Caring Hospice.