Francis “Mert” L. Gilmore, 86, of Perry died on June 10, 2024, at the Kavanaugh Hospice House in Des Moines, Iowa.
He was born to the late Harry and Leilah (West) Gilmore on Sept. 18, 1937, at home in rural Linden, Iowa.
Mert graduated high school from Washington Township Consolidated School with the class of 1956.
Mert farmed all his life. He raised his first batch of hogs at the age of 16 and sold his last batch just a few months ago, marking 70 years as a hog farmer. He was named the Dallas County Master Pork Producer in 1984. He also raised corn and soybeans with his first crop at the age of 18. Mert loved to talk farming with family and friends. Farming was truly the passion of his life.
Mert was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Ivan, Rolland and Lester; sister, Eleanore Conner; and infant grandson, Aaron Gilmore.
Mert’s legacy and memory will be cherished by his beloved partner of 32 years, Cathy Deardorff; his children, Christopher Gilmore of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Lisa (Bob) Kempf of Jamaica, Iowa; grandchildren, Christina (Curtis) Wilson of Guthrie Center, Sarah (Trey) Cummings of Baltimore, Maryland, Jonathon (Erin) Kempf of Middleton, Idaho, and Rachel Gilmore of St. Louis, Missouri; great-grandchildren, Lilah, Colt, Stella, Brooks, Eloise, Adaline, Dalen, Christopher, Patrick, Dominic and Sienna; and several nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed by many friends and will be forever in our hearts.
Visitation will be Friday, June 14 at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral service beginning at 10 a.m. at the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, 1721 Park St. in Perry. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, also known as the Prairie Center Cemetery, at Beaumont Avenue and 200th Street in Linden, Iowa, at 11 a.m. A luncheon to share memories of Mert will follow at the Washington Township School at 15509 210th St. in rural Perry.
The family has designated memorial donations to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa in honor of the many dogs and cats Mert loved throughout his lifetime. The family also wishes to support EveryStep Kavanagh Hospice.
