Merleta Mae Dunn

Merleta Mae Brown Dunn, gifted music teacher, passionate pianist, sometimes-reluctant organist, devoted mother, doting Nana, and faithful friend to many, passed peacefully on April 18, 2023. She was only 81, 10 days short of her 82nd birthday. Merleta had planned to live “at least ten more years” because she had plenty more things to do, places to go, and people to see.

She was named for both of her parents, Merle and Lela - who was also “Lita” to her young cousins who could not pronounce her name; hence, Merleta. Her middle name, Mae, was for her paternal grandmother, Merleta Mae was born in Great Bend, Kansas and was the oldest sister, patient piano teacher, and gracious accompanist to her four siblings: Wayne, Larry, Allen, and Darlene.

The Brown family moved to Cimarron, Kansas in 1943 where they continued their worship in the Nazarene church. This is where Merleta heard the music she would play by ear at home on the piano, prompting her parents to enroll her in lessons. Brown family legend tells us that Merleta cut her practice time in half by asking Mrs. Nelson, her teacher, to play each new song for her so she “could hear what it sounds like.” Then she would play exactly what she heard, rarely opening her lesson book. Merleta was young and crafty, but Mrs. Nelson was older and wiser and quickly caught on. Merleta continued to play the piano, saxophone, drums in the high school marching band, and eventually added organ lessons with Henri Robbins in Dodge City, Kansas.

Merleta graduated from Cimarron High School in 1959 and went on to study at Bethany Nazarene College in Oklahoma. In June of 1963, Merleta married her high school sweetheart, Clinton, and they became the dynamic duo “Clint and Mert” although Merleta was never fond of her abbreviated name. They lived in Wichita, Kansas while Clint finished school at Wichita State University, then they headed west to California where they eventually landed in Rancho Cucamonga. Yes, there really is a Cucamonga.

Their son, Chad Leroy joined the Dunn Duo in September 1968. Krista Lea, their daughter joined the family in March of 1971. In 1975, the Clint and Mert Dunn family moved several blocks north to Orange Street in Alta Loma.

Early in Chad and Krista’s school careers, Clint and Merleta looked at the local public-school options, noted the vast untapped facility resources at their home church, Upland First Church of the Nazarene, and an idea was sparked. With the support of church leadership, laypeople, retired and current educators, plus countless hours, days, and months of working and planning, Ninth Street Christian School opened in fall of 1978. Merleta became “Mrs. Dunn, Music Teacher” and built a dynamic music program that included school musicals, concerts, piano recitals, chapel praise and worship, drama productions, music theory lessons, instrument exploration, and all the intangible benefits derived from a thriving music program. In her time at Ninth Street, Merleta impacted countless students’ lives by cultivating a love of music, encouraging self-confidence, and teaching corporate worship. Many students and their families came to know Jesus during their time at the school. Today, Ninth Street Christian School, now United Christian Academy, is still educating students in grades K-12.

Merleta also served as pianist, organist, and music director at Upland First Church and later at Hacienda Heights Baptist Church. In 1994 Merleta began working at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. While at APU, she supported the work to launch the doctoral program in educational leadership.

Clint and Merleta moved to Denver, Colorado in 2004 after their first granddaughter, Kaleigh Joelle, was born. Four more grandchildren joined the family: Kendall Grace (2000), Collin Logan (2002), Emory Jane and Avery Reese (2006). Merleta became “Nana” and embraced this role with passion. She delighted in her grandchildren, was their loudest cheerleader, and provided unwavering support. Nana loved each of her grandkids fiercely and prayed for them daily.

In addition to being Nana, Merleta loved all things Disney and truly loved taking the grandkids to Disneyland. Her two can’t-miss attractions were the Enchanted Tiki Room and Big Thunder Mountain. Merleta also loved her grand dogs, but never took them to Disneyland. She was an avid people-watcher. Some people watch birds, others watch the stock market; Merleta perfected the art of people-watching and found the best opportunities at theme parks and airports. She had a serious sweet tooth, satisfied with See’s chocolate, her banana-chocolate chip bread, and Key Lime pie. She was a devoted fan of Publix fried chicken; if you know, you know. For fried chicken in Colorado, she and Clint were regulars at Wishbone Family Restaurant in Westminster. Merleta was a voracious reader and passed this passion on to her kids and grandkids. She saw every episode of Murder, She Wrote, enjoyed cheesy Hallmark movies, and admired “those kids” Ben and Erin on HGTV’s Home Town. Merleta cherished time with family, immediate and extended. She genuinely loved each of her siblings, their spouses, her nieces and nephews, and many, many cousins. She was always planning or helping plan the next family gathering. And all were welcome: family, friends, friends of family, and college students who lived too far to go home for a holiday. So many of these times are preserved in priceless memories and pictures. So many pictures. She thoroughly enjoyed camping in Idyllwild and Thanksgivings in Big Bear, two mountain towns in California. Her go-to color was red. She was fascinated with old houses, especially bungalows. Merleta enjoyed quartet music and a good piano concert; in fact, years ago, while in Branson, Missouri, she joined Dino onstage for a piano duet. We are certain Dino still tells others that he once shared the stage with Merleta Dunn. She collected kitchen gadgets that promise to save time and change lives, and would be heartbroken to learn of Bed, Bath & Beyond’s "orderly wind down of its business". Finally, Merleta loved and cherished her friends in the Bridgebuilders Sunday school class at Denver First Church, and the wonderful women in her Bible study group from Christian Women’s Connection. Merleta loved hard and lived with intention.

Merleta will certainly be missed by her husband of 59 – almost 60 - years, Clinton; children: Chad Dunn and his wife, Kristin; daughter, Krista (Dunn) Wyatt and her husband, Dave; grandchildren: Kaleigh (Dunn) Even and her husband, Christopher; Kendall Wyatt; Collin Dunn; and Emory and Avery Wyatt. Her brothers, sisters-in-law, and sister will also miss her check-in calls and Facebook posts: Wanda Brown; Larry and Dawn Brown; Allen and Saralyn Brown; and sister, Darlene Brown Reece.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Merle and Lela Brown, and her oldest brother, Paul Wayne Brown. We know that was a joyful family reunion!

Please join us to celebrate a life well-lived:

A visitation for Merleta will be held Friday, April 28, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary - Ponderosa Room, 7777 West 29th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

A memorial service will occur Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Denver First Church, 3651 S. Colorado Blvd., Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113. Reception will follow.

A graveside service will occur Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at 2379 - Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery- Staging Area "A", 7777 W. 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CrownHillFuneral.com for the Dunn family.