Frank P. And Willa J. Merenghi

Willa “Willi” June McJimsey Merenghi, formerly of Maryville, passed away November 10, 2011 after a brief illness. Her home for the last two years was Presbyterian Manor, Rolla, MO.

Willi was born in Chicago in 1924 and moved with her parents, Lowell Dixon and Willa Mae (Laurence) McJimsey, to New York before settling in Maryville where her father was raised and was associated with the Maryville and St. Joseph newspapers. Her grandfather, E.E.E. McJimsey, owned the Springfield (Mo) Republican and was a candidate for the nomination for Missouri governor on the Republican candidate in the 1920 primary election.

After graduating from Maryville High School, Willi attended the St. Joseph School of Business where she trained as a legal secretary and court stenographer. After her graduation, she moved to Jefferson City and worked at the State Capitol. She spent her evenings at the local USO singing and dancing with the soldiers bused in from Fort Leonard Wood. It was there that she met Sgt. Frank P. Merenghi, Newark, NJ.
After a wartime romance, they married in 1946 and settled in Maryville where they raised five children. Frank was the publisher of the Daily Forum, and Willi was a legal secretary for local attorneys and was a Nodaway County court reporter. They lived in Maryville for twenty-two years, had a brief stint in Nevada, Mo., and moved back to Maryville in 1974 before retiring to Rolla in 1990 to be closer to a number of their children.

Willi is survived by her husband of 65 years, Frank, sister-in-law, Mary Jane Merenghi, Toms River, NJ; four children and their spouses: Marcie Giarrizzo, Rio Nido, Calif; Francine Merenghi (Jim Sowers), Rolla; Marla Merenghi (Al Del Rosario), Weldon Spring, Mo.; Vinnie Merenghi (Ann), Republic, Mo.; and daughter-in-law, Janice Merenghi,
St. James. Her son, Rick, passed away in 2009.

Willi was blessed with eight grandchildren: Todd Nelson (Karen), Keller, Texas; Brian Miller (Jennifer), Ninilchik, Alaska; Darah McJimsey, Savannah, Ga.; Meredith Yonker (Ben), Fishers, Ind.; Michael and Joel Merenghi, Republic, Mo.; Mindy and Steven Merenghi, St. James; and four great grandchildren: Emily and Grace Nelson, Keller, Texas and Gabriel and Jillian Miller, Ninilchik, Alaska.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Willi’s honor to the Good Samaritan Fund at Presbyterian Manor, 1200 Homelife Plaza, Rolla, MO 65401. For on-line condolences, the family can be reached at [email protected] .

Joint memorial services and inurnment for Willa and Frank Merenghi will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, May 18, 2015, at the Miriam Cemetery, Maryville, MO. The minister will be Rev. Leland

Frank Paul Merenghi

Frank Paul Merenghi passed away on Friday, April 10, 2015, at the Missouri Veterans Home in St. James where he was a resident for the past three years. He lived at the Rolla Presbyterian Manor with his wife of 65 years, Willa, from 2009 until her death in 2011.

Frank was born in Newark, N.J. in 1923 to Frank Louis and Denata Ella (Georgio) Merenghi. He graduated from Newark’s Central High School before joining the US Army in 1943.

Merenghi met his future wife, Willa McJimsey, at the Jefferson City USO where she spent her evenings singing and dancing with the soldiers bused in from Fort Leonard Wood, his Army post at the time.
Merenghi served with the 97th and 80th Infantry Divisions in the European Theater. He was a squad sergeant when his division crossed the Siegfried Line in December 1944. He was hospitalized in Paris for several months before being shipped back to the United States where he was Honorably Discharged in 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

After a wartime romance, Frank and Willa were married in 1946 and settled in Maryville, Missouri where they spent 25 years and raised five children.

Merenghi graduated with BS/BA degrees in Spanish and Business Administration from Northwest Missouri State University in 1950. He remained a passionate Bearcat fan throughout his life. As a student attending NWMSU, he was employed part-time at the Maryville Daily Forum in advertising sales, circulation and sports reporting. He rose through the ranks and served as advertising manager and later advertising and business manager at the Forum before being named the publisher of the Nevada (Missouri) Daily Mail. After directing that newspaper’s change from letterpress to the more modern offset printing, he returned to the Daily Forum as publisher where he ended his 30 year newspaper career.

He and his wife retired to Rolla in 1990 to be closer to a number of their children.

Merenghi was an avid, life-long bowler. He served in various capacities in the Maryville Bowling Association including league president, publicity director and historian. He was a charter member of the Maryville Bowling Hall of Fame. He was the executive director of the Missouri State Bowling Board for 15 years and served on the Missouri State Elks Bowling Board. When he moved to Rolla, Merenghi was named the publicity director for the Missouri South Central Bowling Association (MSCBA) and was inducted into the MSCBA Bowling Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Missouri State Bowling Hall of Fame in 1997.

Merenghi combined two of his life passions – bowling and newspaper publishing – by continuously writing bowling columns to promote bowling and to recognize the individual and collective efforts of local bowlers. His column, ‘Bowl Me Over’, appeared in the Maryville, Nevada and Rolla newspapers over a 47 year period.

He was active in Maryville and Nevada civic community organizations and held leadership positions in the Rotary, Chambers of Commerce, Industrial Development Boards and Jaycees. He was a lifetime member
of the Elks.

He was a member of the Maryville Presbyterian Church and served on its board of trustees.

Preceding Frank in death were his parents, his brother, Vincent, his wife, Willa, and son, Rick. He is survived by four children and their spouses: Marcie Giarrizzo, Rio Nido, Calif.; Francine Merenghi (Jim Sowers), Rolla; Marla Merenghi (Al Del Rosario), Weldon Spring, Missouri; Vinnie Merenghi (Ann), Republic, Missouri; daughter-in-law, Janice Merenghi, St. James, Missouri; sister-in-law, Mary Jane Merenghi, Toms River, N.J. Frank was blessed with eight grandchildren: Todd Nelson (Karen), Keller, Texas; Brian Miller (Jennifer), Ninilchik, Alaska; Darah McJimsey, Savannah, Georgia; Meredith Yonker (Ben), Fishers, Indiana; Michael and Joel Merenghi, Republic, Missouri; Mindy Merenghi-Ray (Ryan), Indianapolis, Indiana and Steven Merenghi, St. James; and four great-grandchildren: Emily and Grace Nelson, Keller, Texas and Gabrial and Jillian Miller, Ninilchik, Alaska.

Joint memorial services and inurnment for Willa and Frank Merenghi will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, May 18, 2015, at the Miriam Cemetery, Maryville, MO. The minister will be Rev. Leland LaRose.

Military rites for Mr. Merenghi will conducted at the services by member of the Missouri Military Honors Detail and members of the James Edward Gray American Legion Post 100, Maryville, MO.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Frank’s honor to the Missouri Veteran’s Home, 620 North Jefferson, St. James, MO 65559 or Central Missouri Honor Flight, 625 Cherry St., Columbia, MO 65201. For on-line condolences, the family can be reached at [email protected] .