He was born at Eastland, Texas on January, 21, 1922 to Walter Allen and Maudie B. Tennyson. He married Gladys Ivy Whitmire on December, 21, 1941 at Lamesa, Texas. They had three daughters.
He served in the US Navy during WWII on the transport ship USS Buckingham. After the war he returned to a life of farming at Lamesa.
At age 33 Mervin surrendered to preach and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary at Ft. Worth, Texas. After his graduation he pastored churches at Rotan, TX., Eunice, N.M., Espanola, N.M., and Woodrow, Tx. Then he and Gladys spent 10 years as directors of Inlow Baptist Youth Camp in the New Mexico mountains near Albuquerque.
In 1983, they retired to San Angelo where they spent their last 30 years. They attended Southland Baptist Church.
He was proceeded in death by his wife and by his daughter, Judy Ellen Kidwell. He is survived by Brenda Burg and husband Henry of Stonewall, TX., Marsha Dickens and husband Jerry of Huntsville, TX., Dudley Kidwell of Abilene, six grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Services are 2 pm Saturday, Nov. 21 with a graveside service at Lawnhaven Memorial Cemetery at San Angelo. Arrangement are by Johnson's Funeral Home. The family requests memorials be made to Hill Country Memorial Hospice, 808 Reuben St. Fredericksburg, TX., 78624.
