Peter “Pete” G. Merryfield

December 20, 1939 - May 15, 2018

Peter George “Pete” Merryfield, 78, a resident of Delafield, WI. for 43 years and a 12-year seasonal resident of Ft. Myers, FL., passed away Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at Hope Hospice in Ft. Myers. He was born in Milwaukee, WI. to the late Gordon and Helen Merryfield.

Pete was a member of St. Anthony on the Lake Catholic Church in Pewaukee, WI. and St. John XXIII Catholic Church in Ft. Myers. He served in the U.S. Army, where he was a member of the wrestling team and received his MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Pete was a former stock broker and had a long career as an independent sales rep. selling reference books and websites to public libraries, colleges, and high schools throughout Wisconsin. He was a member of South Shore Yacht Club in WI. and Ft. Myers Beach Yacht Club in FL served as a Past-Commodore of Milwaukee Boat Club. Pete’s greatest legacy will be the cherished friendships he leaves behind and the countless people who love him and will dearly miss his positive attitude, his fun-loving personality, and his special smile. His never-ending courage in dealing with MDS and CHF was awe-inspiring to all those who shared his struggles. We know he’ll be loudly cheering on his beloved Green Bay Packers in front of a large-screen tv in Heaven. Anyone who knew Pete would say he never in his life said a negative word about anyone. Pete was truly a good man.

Pete is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Bonnie (Canak), one sister, Nancy Taft (Gerald) of Quinton, VA., one brother Terrance (Marcia) of Estero, FL., sister-in-law Susan Merryfield of Sierra Vista, AZ., brothers-in-law Gregory (Debra) Canak of Waterford, WI. and William (Ellen Konowitz) of Nashville, TN. Pete is also survived by nieces and nephews, his extended family, a legion of treasured friends, as well as, Pete and Bonnie’s beloved cats, Riley and Murphy.

Peter was preceded in death by his brother Michael Merryfield and nephews Gerald Taft Jr. and Jeffrey Merryfield.

A Memorial Mass will be held at10:00 A.M onThursday, May 24, 2018 at St. John XXIII Catholic Church,13060 Palomino Ln., Ft. Myers, FL., 33912with Father Bob Tabbert officiating.

A Memorial Mass with Military Honors will be held 11:00 AM Friday, June 15, 2018 at St. Anthony on the Lake Catholic Church, W280N2101 Prospect Ave, Pewaukee, WI 53072 with Father John Yockey officiating. The family will receive friends for a time of Visitation from9:00 A.M.until the time of Funeral Mass.

Please, no flowers because the cats will eat them. Memorial contributions in Pete’s name may be made to Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) ofWaukesha County, 701 Northview Rd., Waukesha, WI. 53188.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Ft. Myers, is entrusted with final care.

Guestbook

  1. Neil M. Chisholm Jul 9, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    I knew Pete for ten years when we both worked as sales reps for Grolier Inc. Pete was a man who was always kind and pleasant, and I always liked his greeting and smile. He always made me feel better about myself. He was a prince of a man. I am sure Pete believed in a Heaven for people who were good, or good enough, and if he’s right about that, he is certainly there, doing all the things he loves.
    Thank you, Pete, I am better for having known you as I did.

  2. Bonnie Merryfield Nov 10, 2022 at 1:19 pm

    Neil, thank you so much for your kind words. When Pete would return from the sales meetings, he would always mention how much he enjoyed visiting with you.
    After Pete passed, I wrote So Now You’re a Widow: Tips, Advice, and Stories from Widows to Widows which was published in 2019. I interviewed 34 women, and we shared everything we wished we had known when we became widowed. I’m proud to say it earned a 2020 CIPA (Colorado Independent Publishing Assoc.) EVVY award for non-fiction/self-help in their international competition. The book is available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and through my publisher Outskirtspress.com. My second book, The Ultimate Widower’s Guide: Advice from Men, is in the final stages of my checking galley proofs before it goes to print; it should be published in mid-late December 2022. For this book, I interviewed 21 widowers who shared what they had learned to help other widowers. Again, thank you for taking the time to comment. That means a great deal to me, and I know it would to Pete.

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