Merle J. Nevenhoven

Merle grew up on a farm in rural Iowa and graduated from Ackley High School. After military service, he graduated from Northern Iowa University. He then earned a graduate degree in psychology from the University of Oregon in Eugene. Merle completed postgraduate work at the University of Chicago, specializing in the administration and interpretation of the Rorschach Test. He was known for his exemplary skills in personality assessment, often using the Rorschach as an assessment tool. Merle partnered with a colleague and trained in hypnosis for adult counseling. Although he seldom used hypnosis, the training broadened his professional skills.

Merle enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served in the 1st Cavalry Division, 5th Regiment, Company King, earning the rank of sergeant. During the Korean War, he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat. He wore his Purple Heart pin with the utmost respect and reverence. He also received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Korean Service Medal with 12 gold stars representing 12 Korean battle sites where he saw combat, and the United Nations Service Medal. Merle’s military service reflected a quest for courage and a sense of duty that continued to define his life into his 94th year. It also sparked his keen interest in World War II. He researched and voraciously read books on the war, building an extensive library and gaining insight into the perspectives of opposing sides. He also visited the beaches of Normandy and various WWII-connected sites throughout Europe.

Merle was a highly respected licensed psychologist who worked with children and adults in Suburban Chicago for much of his career. As a volunteer, Merle was a founding member of the Kenneth Young Center for Mental Health Services and served on the board of the Elk Grove-Schaumburg Mental Center. In his private practice in Chicago, Merle conducted weekly evaluations of adults supported by the State of Illinois Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Ending the day with dinner at The Berghoff Restaurant became a favorite routine before returning home to Schaumburg. After retiring from Illinois, Merle continued his career as a psychologist in Keokuk County, Iowa. There, he served on a multidisciplinary team whose members became close friends. He maintained an office in Oak Park, Illinois, where he conducted monthly evaluations for many years, keeping a professional connection to Chicagoland after his family’s relocation to Iowa City, Iowa. Merle also served as a substitute psychologist for the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics Division of Child Psychiatry.

Merle was a member of several psychology associations, including the National Association of School Psychologists, the International School Psychology Association, the Illinois Association of Psychologists, and the Illinois Association of School Psychologists. He mentored and supervised many Illinois psychologists who later became active in national organizations.

Merle was a proud owner and active manager of several farms in Iowa, not far from where he grew up. He was dedicated to land stewardship and enjoyed visiting each farm. He treasured conversations and a loyal friendship with his longtime tenant, Norman Venenga, who continues to live on and caretake one of the farms along with his wife.

Merle found enduring and steadfast love when he married Cheryl Hunter on July 24, 1981. Together, they built a life filled with happiness, adventures, mutual psychology careers, and unwavering devotion. United by a shared interest in travel and cruising, they explored the world from Greenland to French Polynesia and from the Faroe Islands to Morocco. Attending the annual meetings of the International Association of Psychology was an opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world who gathered each year in countries such as Brazil, Scotland, France, Latvia, and China. While living in Iowa City, Merle was a volunteer patient for the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics Carver College of Medicine and served as the flag bearer for Coralville's American Legion Honor Guard. He spent many hours maintaining the prairie and fruit trees he planted at his Iowa City home. In 2017, Merle and Cheryl left their Iowa City, Iowa, home and friends of 25 years and moved to Naples, Florida. Together, they settled in the Isles of Collier Preserve, a gated community that Merle thoroughly enjoyed. The change from Iowa’s panoramic rural views to palm trees, Gulf beaches, and warm weather suited Merle well. Trips to Walt Disney World, with stays at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Admirals Club Level and embarking on Caribbean cruises became part of their retired Florida lifestyle.

Merle and Cheryl were blessed with one son, Garrett Hunter Nevenhoven. Merle found profound joy in being an older father and took pride in Garrett’s accomplishments. The small family visited many National Parks, and one of their favorites was the place young Garrett called “George Washington Mountain” (Mt. Rushmore). Occasional fall trips to hike and stay at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois remain special memories.

Merle will be remembered as a man who dearly loved his wife and son. He never sought attention, yet his presence and conversation conveyed wisdom, humor, sharp insight into people, and the lesson that “words matter.” Against the backdrop of his loving extended family, he made a lasting impression.

Merle is survived by his beloved wife, Cheryl; his son, Garrett, of Huntersville, North Carolina; his sister, Pat Kole, of Aplington, Iowa; his mother-in-law, Marion Hunter, of Ocala, Florida; his sister-in-law, Carol Carlton, and his brother-in-law, Michael Carlton, of Ocala, Florida; his brother-in-law, David Hunter, and his sister-in-law, Katie Sterling, of Bridgeport, New York; his niece, Mariah Hunter, of Farmington, New York; his nephew, David Hunter, Jr., of Wanamingo, Minnesota; his niece, Melissa Kole-Gummert, of Grundy Center, Iowa; and his nephew, Alan Kole, of Ames, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Donna; his brother, Ron; his niece, Tamra Manning; and his father-in-law, Ralph Hunter.

Merle will be buried at the Sarasota National Cemetery in a private family service at a later date. A celebration of his life will be held in Naples this fall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples, FL 34112, where he will be honored at a future date.

Merle’s family would like to extend a special thank-you to Merle’s neighbors and friends at the Isles of Collier Preserve, the Naples community where he lived for nine years. Acts of support and assistance, along with words of encouragement and affection, made the Isles a cherished home for Merle.