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Funeral services for Larry Dean Merrill, age 71, of Chadron, NE will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, December 29, 2018 at Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron, NE.

Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Chadron, NE.

A visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday, December 28, 2018 at Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron.

A memorial has been established for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.

Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com.

Larry was born on August 11, 1947 in Hot Springs, SD. He rode his last horse on December 22, 2018. He passed away in his Chadron, NE home.

He was born on August 11, 1947 in Hot Springs, SD at the Seven Sisters Hospital to Daniel and Joan (Birdsall) Merrill. He was raised in the Hot Springs area and graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1965. During his high school years, he worked as a Wrangler at the Blue Bell Lodge in Custer State Park. After graduation, he joined the National Guard. Following his military experience, he worked for various ranchers including W.R. Boldon, Paul Hoef and Pete Witte.

On February 20, 1970, he married Kay Waltman of Chadron, NE. The couple resided and raised their three children, Melanie, Sid, and Razen, in the Chadron area. A man of many trades, during his work years he served as a technician at Kansas-Nebraska Gas, manager of Hubbard Mill in Chadron for several years, inspector for a fiber optic firm in CA, and retired from Crow Butte Resources in Crawford, NE.

Throughout his life, Larry was a cowboy; he spent time as a ranch hand, sale barn employee, horseshoer, team roper, auctioneer, and horse trainer. He bought and sold many horses and loved “swappin stock.” Larry had a way of drawing people to him (never knowing a stranger) and made many lifelong friends. In the words of one of those friends and a fellow horseman, “Larry was a cowboy and knew a good horse.”

Larry is lovingly remembered and survived by wife Kay of Chadron, NE; daughter Melanie (Boone) Herring of Veteran, WY; sons Sid of Tuttle, OK and Razen (Kali Olson) of Piedmont, SD; mother Joan Merrill McLaughlin of Hot Springs, SD; sister Peg (Tom) Porter of Edgemont, SD; sister-in-law Gail Merrill of Buckeye, AZ; mother-in-law Betty Waltman of Chadron, NE; brother-in-law Riley (Dee) Waltman of Box Elder, SD; sister-in-law Christie Dickinson (Andy Andrews) of Gillette, WY; sister-in-law Delinda Royse of Wichita, KS; five grandchildren Cade and Cord Herring, Kaitlyn Thies Merrill, and Sloan and Ruby Merrill; many nieces and nephews; and lifetime friend Don Fish.

He was preceded in death by father Dan, brother Don, father in-law Bus Waltman, and great-niece Maggie Krejci.

Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements for Larry Dean Merrill.