Date: Wed, 22 May 96 09:04:47 cst
From: MARK A WILBUR
Subject: Scout Memorial for Brian C. Merk
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Brian C. Merk
Friends,
With Memorial Day coming up I have forced myself
to sit down and finally compose a memorial for a Scout we lost back in September.
I tried to start one a few months ago, but, my emotions could not tell me if
I was typing the right things.
I would like to thank all of you who helped me make
my decision to do the Slide Show Tribute to Brian last February. It was the
right thing to do.
Anyone that would like to reply to the family (or
to Brian's younger brother Todd) I will forward any messages. I feel that the
family is getting by, but it has to be difficult. I know that it has been for
me. I know that I think about Brian at the strangest times.
TRIBUTE ATTACHED
Fifteen year old Boy Scout Brian C. Merk, joined
Our Lord Wednesday, September 20, 1995, loving son of Marilyn A. and Ronald
L. Merk, dear brother of Todd Merk, dear grandson of Lucius Huber and Dorothy
Merk, dear nephew of Ken and Mary Merk.
Brian was an active member of Boy Scout Troop #374
sponsored by Friedens Chapel North St. Louis County. Brian spent a lot of his
time with the regular troop as well as the older boy Venture program. He was
an honor student at Hazelwood East High School.
Brian was riding a 4-wheeler with Scout friends
near his house. Brian was an experienced rider, wearing protective equipment,
but was fatally crushed when the 4-wheeler turned over. Friends administered
CPR and he was transported via helicopter to Children's Hospital where he was
pronounced dead.
The color guard and Paul bearers for the funeral
were members of the Scout Troop. Nearly 100% of the troop attended the viewing
and all were in full uniform.
One of his classmates, Melanie P'atty wrote the
following poem:
A Memory of Brian
A Life is gone, we all wonder why.
We reflect on the memories,
We laugh and we cry.
He was our loved one,
That we held dear to our hearts.
But we were not yet prepared,
For the day he would part.
He was much too young,
But is was is time to go.
And if everything happens for a reason.
This reason we neither understand or know.
We remember his voice,
His smile we'll never forget.
His funny, mischievous grin,
That little pep in his step.
His ingenious mind,
His way with comedy,
How he'd make friends,
With everyone he'd see.
But one thing is for certain,
And will always remain that way.
It's that we must keep him in our hearts,
Where forever he will stay.
We must water the flower,
That he placed in our soul.
We must prize it as a treasure,
Worth much, much more than gold.
Brian is no longer with us,
But his spirit we must embrace.
And with his love beside us,
A new day we can face.
Submitted by:
Brian's friend
Melanie P'atty
It is now Memorial weekend and several months have
passed since the funeral. Every week, even during the snow, there have been
multiple visitors to the grave site. Some leave a note or card and sometimes
they leave a little present for Brian.
The Troop had accumulated a large number of slides
of Brian over the years, so we did a tribute Slide show to Brian at February
Court on Honor. It was tough to watch but everyone had a good cry!
Brian's younger brother, Todd, continues to be a
member of the Troop. He got his 1st Class on October 3rd 1995.
We shall all miss Brian... very, very, much...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark Wilbur - Scoutmaster allogagaw@megsinet.net
/\mmm/\
www.troop374.org
Ceremonial Team Advisor Owl (o) (o)
St. Louis, Mo.
Vigil: Allogagaw NC-516
\ v /
Eagle Scout
Shawnee Lodge #51
>>>-+++-->
Ham: N0UII
"May God Bless... (Red Skelton)"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark Wilbur - Allogagaw (He who serves)
"Used to be an OWL NC-513 (312-35-1984), Always be an Eagle (1973)"
Scoutmaster (since 1986) Troop 374 St. Louis, Mo. www.troop374.org