Lois L. Merkel, age 95 of Edwardsville, IL, formerly of Collinsville, IL, born February 12, 1920 in Collinsville, IL, passed away at 8:48 pm on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at Liberty Village Care Center in Maryville, IL.

Lois was a retired telephone operator supervisor for Illinois Bell Telephone Company. She also liked to attend the AT&T Pioneers meetings.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Tusco and Mildred nee Lundak Surber; her first husband, Charles "Beans" Kassing, whom she married in 1943; her second husband, Frank Merkel, whom she married in 1952; a daughter, Charlotte Hazzard; a brother, Harold Surber; and three sisters: Doris Grolle, Norma Kassing and Shirley Hudson.

She is survived by a son, Charles (Rita) Kassing of Moro, IL; a daughter, Karen (Robert) Szegedy of Collinsville; a son-in-law, James Hazzard of Glen Carbon, IL; six grandchildren: Lisa (Steve) Burgess, James Hazzard, Jr., Kim (Scott) Griffith, Stacy Szegedy, David Kassing, and Robert (Erin) Szegedy; seven great grandchildren: Brooke Hazzard, Kate, Alex and Megan Griffith, Taylor and Peyton Szegedy, and Stephen Burgess.

Visitation will be from 9am to 11am on Monday, August 24, 2015 at Barry Wilson Funeral Home, Maryville, IL.

Funeral service will bein 11am following the visitation with Rev. Roger Wright officiating. Burial will be at St. John Cemetery, Collinsville, IL.

Memorials can be made to Heartland Hospice and will be received at the funeral home.