Joseph C. Merrifield, 73

Joseph C. Merrifield, 73, passed away Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, after losing his battle with lung cancer.

Joe was born July 8, 1933, in Cayuga, Ontario, Canada.

He worked for the Department of Transport Canada as a seaman on the Great Lakes from 1950 to 1954. In 1954, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During his 20 years in the military, Joe traveled throughout the world. His first assignment was in Florida, where he met his wife. Joe was also stationed in Okinawa, Virginia, Germany, Greenland, Spain and finally Great Falls, where he retired in 1974. After he retired from the Air Force, Joe worked for the U.S. Postal Service and the Great Falls Tribune.

Joe moved to Columbia Falls in 1992, where he was a member of the Glacier Lanes Bowling League. He bowled there until his illness forced him to quit in 2006. Joe's lifelong hobby was stamp collecting. He collected stamps from all across the world. At the time of his death, he was working on stamps from the South Pacific islands.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty.

Joe is survived by his son, Joe Merrifield, of Salem, Ore.; and his daughter, Charlene Merrifield, and grandson, Josh, of Seattle.

Joe will be joining his wife in interment at Hillcrest Lawn Mausoleum in Great Falls.

No services are planned at this time. A private service will take place in April in Great Falls.

Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is taking care of the arrangements.