Merle Joseph Farrier Jr.

Merle Joseph Farrier passed away at the age of 78 on March 30, 2025, as a result of semi natural causes. Merle endured many health issues during these last 10 years which began with a two week coma which he miraculously survived through the intercession of Our Lady of Gidle, multiple myeloma, numerous colon ruptures, blood clots, triple bypass surgery, being kicked by a stallion in the back and he recently suffered a brain bleed as a result of a fall and finally succumbed to his injury after receiving the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Communion and the Apostolic Pardon.

At the age of 14, Merle acquired a fine stepfather, G. J. Salinas. While living in the same home, Merle attended Broadwater, Hawthorne, Helena Junior High, C.R. Anderson, and Helena High through his sophomore year. While attending these schools Merle met John Vollertson, his lifetime friend in pranks and humor. In 1963, Merle moved to Charlo where he was swept off his feet by his future wife and graduated in 1965 from Charlo High School. Three months later, September 11, 1965, Merle married his high school sweetheart, Trudy L. Carter. Their meeting in high school was love at first fight; nevertheless, Merle and Trudy truly enjoyed their 60 years of marriage.

Merle graduated from The University of Montana in 1969 and began teaching 7-12 math and physics for 30 years at Hot Springs, Montana. Merle was a beloved educator who inspired and influenced both students from k-12 and college through his unwavering love of the Blessed Trinity, Catholic Faith, Truth and definitions. He would often ask, “Do you know the etymology of…” Merle completed his 56-year career in education while working at Two Eagle River School under the very able supervision of Rodney Bird, a remarkable person, educator, administrator, and friend.

Beginning in 2001, Merle spent part of his remaining years working with special education students in numerous special education programs throughout the state. Merle considered this work his most important and many times expressed to others the joy he found in meeting these remarkable youth who in turn taught him a great deal about human dignity in general and the essence of education in particular.

Merle exemplified what St Paul says to the Corinthians, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22) Merle lived out this principle through his life of labor, as a father and an educator. No job or chore was beneath Merle and therefore no person was beneath him.

Merle and mostly Trudy had two children, Merle and John, while he was attending UM in Missoula in the mid-1960s followed by eight more children after moving to Hot Springs/Camas Prairie: Teresa, Monica, James, Maria, Thomasina, Thomas, Elizabeth, and Carter. At the time of Merle’s death, these 10 children had enriched the Farrier family with 47 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren and growing.

Merle (Nancy): Katelyn (John) {Clare} and Amelia (Matt); John (Christina): John II (Blaise) {Titus, Magnum, Darlin, Ignatius, Murdoch, Galveston and Lasette}, Damien (Cassie) {Nora Wrenly, and Mazie}, Ciara (Michael) {Raymond and Mary}, Veronica, Mathew, Joseph, Angela, Michael, and Rebecca; Teresa (Damien): Peter, David, Gregory {Aleigha and Callum}, Karl, Luke, Benedict, Johnny, Andrew, and Sophia; Monica (Mark): Joseph {Rhiot}, Bernadette (John) {Johnny, Kathleen, and Walter}, Therese (Aaron) {Anthony, Josephine and Thomas}, Francesca (Aaron) {Eleanor}, Dominic, Catherine (Nathan), Margaret, Nicholas, Michael, and Clare; James (Lea): Bella and Jimmy, Dakota; Maria (Thad): Nicole, Trent, Bethany (Seth), Dustin, and Austin; Thomasina (James): Kane, Karley, and Kyle; Thomas (deceased) (JoAnn): Jarod, (JoAnn (Paul): Ross); Elizabeth (Adam): Ellie, Ava, and Thomas; and Carter (Railene): Benicio.

Merle had hoped to live to be 83 so he could enjoy the earthly celebration of the 2,000th birthday of the Catholic Church. Merle had a strong interest in the Holy Trinity and spent much of his adult life sharing and pursuing a better understanding of this beautiful mystery. God the Father was understood by Merle to be Existence from which all of creation derives its own unique existence; the Son is the answer to the ancient question, “What is truth?”; but the Holy Spirit was not so easy as Love will always be less than fully understood in this life. Despite this lack of understanding of love, Merle understood love to be the willing of another’s good for their own sake in the truth of who they are.

In Merle’s last earthly years, he often said he already had plans for what he was going to do after he died, the first of which would be to find St. Thomas Aquinas in order to make better progress understanding how it is that Three distinct Persons have One and the same nature all the while without diminishing the individual dignity of each of the three Persons who comprise this most beautiful Unity, this Tri…Unity. One of Merle’s favorite Bible verses was written by Ben Sira and is found in the Book of Sirach: 7:15, “Hate not laborious tasks nor farm work, both of which were ordained by God!”

It is very fitting that a huge thank you and appreciation be expressed to all the countless people who cared so well for Merle at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula and Spokane as well as other locations. If it had not been for the dedication and brilliance of Dr. Josh Christensen and his tireless team of fellow infections disease doctors, Merle would have never had a chance to meet so many other doctors and health care professionals to treat his cancer and miscellaneous issues. It is impossible to name all the people who gave Merle more time to enjoy his earthly life, but the people who worked in the ICU, ER, on the floors, in the chemo center, the trauma team, and the cardiac rehab program at St. Patrick’s are amazing, committed persons who are giving a large part of their lives for those who are losing theirs. And most of all, thank you Doctor Thomas for not only your unexcelled care of Merle’s cancer but also helping him with numerous other non-cancer issues that popped up. You are an amazing doctor and person!

An immense thank you is owed to all the priests, especially Father Mike Poole and Father Jeff Benusa, who brought Jesus Christ to Merle through the Sacraments of Confession, Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion on numerous occasions during his hospital visits. Merle is eternally grateful for all who prayed and offered Holy Masses for him during these last 10 years.

Merle is survived and deeply missed by his loving wife, Trudy; their four sons, Merle, John, James, and Carter; their five daughters, Teresa, Monica, Maria, Thomasina, and Elizabeth; his sister, Sonja Jensen; his 47 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

Merle was preceded in death by his parents Merle, Helen and stepfather G.J, and his beloved son Thomas.

Finally, a boundless thank you goes to Trudy for giving birth to our 10 children, providing extraordinary care to them for decades as well as to many great/grandchildren and immeasurable love and health care for Merle.

There will be a visitation for Merle on Sunday, April 6, 2025 from 4:30 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. There will be a Rosary at 6:00 P.M. followed by a Drum ceremony all at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hot Springs, MT. The Mass will be held on Monday, April 7, 2025, at 12:00 P.M. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Polson, followed by burial in the Ronan Cemetery at 4:00 P.M. In honor of Merle J. Farrier, an education scholarship will be established. Details will follow.

Romans 5: 3-5 But we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.