Bethany Reformed Church
705 Cajon Street, Redlands CA 92373 (909)793-1966
Getting to Know…
Ted and Louetta Merckens
On most Sunday mornings on my way to church I pass a mature graying man and a very pretty younger woman. As I drive by I give a little beep on the horn and a wave and then I see them return my wave in my rearview mirror. Ted and his daughter Natalie enjoy walking to church together, a good father/daughter time. I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the Merckens, Ted and Louetta, recently. They have been a constant in my life for 37 years here at Bethany and I am so pleased to be able to share them with you. (Lou has made my job even easier by writing out a few pages of her memoirs. I am hoping that I am able to meld them into a cohesive whole!)
Ted was born to Theodore, an officer in his father’s chocolate factory, and Frances, a homemaker, in Buffalo, New York. When he was 12 years old they moved to Williamsville, N.Y. where he grew up with his younger brother Robert. Among his favorite pastimes as a child were swimming in the creek in his backyard, canoe games, playing with his model trains and photography, both taking pictures and developing them.
After graduating from high school he attended college for a short time and then was inducted into the Navy to serve on the USS Hancock. After the war he attended Ohio State University and earned a physics degree in engineering. He later worked at Bell Aircraft plant in Buffalo, N.Y.
Louetta was born in Buffalo, N.Y. to Louis and Meleta (Blondie) Eber. Her mother was a partner in business with her father who owned and operated a small shop producing small parts for various operating machinery. Her only younger brother and she helped in various ways in that endeavor. When she graduated from high school she worked in the office for her father, but after a year, and wanting to broaden her experiences, she went to work for the New York Bell Telephone Company and later on for National Gypsum. She occasionally attended the Lutheran Church but really didn’t become active until having a family later on.
Lou recalls, “Now, in 1953, while working at the telephone company, I became interested in sailing. This fit right in with my family as they were boating enthusiasts from the start. Many a weekend was spent on the Niagara River, boating, fishing and swimming.
“In the meantime, Ted’s brother Robert and his best friend became interested in sailing and talked Ted into buying a share in a twin hulled Catamaran sailboat and also into joining the Buffalo Yacht Club, of which my father was a member.
“In 1954 my girlfriend and I were sailing from a point on the Niagara River to Ontario, Canada, to a sailing club there. When the winds died down and we became becalmed, we, at the insistence of my parents and friends, were towed to our destination. This unfortunate experience got the attention, and laughter, of one handsome sailor, Ted Merckens.” They dated and married, all in short order, and this month will celebrate 52 years on a sea of romance.
Tired of the weather in New York and wanting to experience more in his field of engineering in aerospace they decided to take an extended honeymoon and seized the opportunity to spend a month making their way west to a warmer climate. No side trip was too small as they visited the Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, and Arizona where Lou bartered with two Indian girls; bacon for clay pots. (She even managed to get their names and addresses and later on sent the girls boxes of clothing.) They finally arrived in San Diego where Ted worked for Convair Astronautics.
Their first home was an apartment in Point Loma where charming Heidi, their first daughter, was born. She now lives in San Diego with her husband Jim Kennedy and their three children. A couple of moves later found them in La Jolla where they had two more beautiful daughters; Greta, who now lives in San Diego with her husband Charles Allers, and Natalie who now resides in Redlands. They were very active in the Methodist church until eight years later when they moved to Redlands and added still another daughter, Kristen, now living in San Diego with her husband Vern Heimbigner and their four children. Ted was working at TRW at that time, and was also working on getting his Masters Degree in Aero Space management while Lou was a homemaker and, more importantly, a Mom to their four little girls.
Ted is retired now, but you’d never guess it. If he seems a bit frazzled this time of year it’s because he volunteers at senior centers for AARP, helping seniors do their taxes. When he does have free time he enjoys going to their Oceanside condo and walking on the beach. Louetta also keeps herself very busy with art classes, painting and pastels. She has painted portraits of their daughters and is now working on portraits of the seven grandchildren. She also enjoys knitting and reading.
It was in 1966 that they began attending Bethany thru BSF and after former pastor Don Weemhoff visited them several times. They became active in teaching Sunday School and later Ted became a Deacon and has since then served many times on the Consistory as both a Deacon and an Elder. Lou has coordinated the Women’s A.M. Bible Study for many years, been a VBS teacher, served on various committees, is on the prayer chain, and helped with the Youth Club. As you can see, they are a vital part of our family here at Bethany, and I have personally learned much from each of them.
They believe that God has a purpose for our lives, and without that meaning, our lives would be purposeless. In Louetta’s words, “We are thankful for the part Bethany has played in our maturing as Christians. We look to the future with confidence and faith. With the help our Lord gives through His Spirit in the family of Bethany Church, we will reach that prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.” No higher praise has ever been given this church family. Lou and Ted, thank you for your example as we join you in striving for that goal.
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