Merlyn Wayne Fiscus, 83, of rural Bayard, passed away on March 2, 2020 at the Morrill County Community Hospital at Bridgeport. Merlyn was born July 14, 1936 to Merle “Hans” and Evelyn (Petersen) Fiscus. He attended country school north of Bayard, and graduated from Bayard High School with the Class of 1954.
After high school, Merlyn worked on ranches in the Sandhills around Alliance, Nebraska. On a blind date he met the love of his life, Vicki Sallee. They were married in Alliance on January 24, 1960. Merlyn served in the Nebraska National Guard from 1958-1961.
Merlyn and Vicki lived in Scottsbluff following their marriage where he was the assistant manager at the Woolworth Store. In an effort to be closer to Vicki’s family, they moved to Aurora, Illinois where he was a welder for Austin-Western. From there they moved to Sioux County, Nebraska where Merlyn worked for the Watson Ranch.
The Sandhills called his name once again and he began working on one of the Rush Creek Ranches between Hyannis and Whitman. A horse roll-over broke his leg in 1972 and he moved his family back to the Valley. He welded at Lockwood’s, farmed for his uncle, and began his own business, Fiscus Custom Farming. He plowed crop ground and cut and baled hay in Morrill and Scotts Bluff Counties from 1972-2016. There aren’t many fields between Bayard and Scottsbluff that didn’t receive his care at one time or another.
Merlyn was a cowboy, a farmer, and a Husker and Bronco football fan. He enjoyed John Wayne movies, Marty Robbin’s music, and Gunsmoke. His truest joy and source of pride came from time spent with his family. He never knew a stranger and the coffee was always on.
Merlyn is survived by his wife of 60 years, Vicki; sons Gene (Katie (Fries)) Fiscus of Ardmore, SD and Jody (Karla (Brisco)) Fiscus of Bayard; daughter Becki Fiscus of Bayard; grandchildren Jeri (Jesse McConkey) Ross, Jessica Fiscus, Jason (Ashley) Fiscus, Michael Fiscus, Tyler Fiscus, Kaylie Fiscus, Victoria Huff, and Hayden Huff; great-grandchildren Ryder Ross, Madilyn McConkey, and Dally Fiscus; brother Larry (Sharon) Fiscus; sister Linda Wilkins; sister-in-law Sharon Fiscus; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Merlyn was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law and mother-in-law Kenneth and Mae Sallee, brother Gerald Fiscus, and brother-in-law Randy Wilkins
