MERLE WAS BORN IN VINITA AND GRADUATED FROM VINITA HIGH SCHOOL. IN 1961, HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA WITH A B.A. DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING. HE SERVED THREE YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, ATTAINING THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. AFTER RETURNING FROM THE SERVICE, HE WORKED FOR A CPA FIRM IN TULSA BEFORE MOVING BACK TO VINITA IN 1965. HERE, HE OPENED HIS OWN PRACTICE IN ACCOUNTING AND TAX PREPARATION, WHICH HE STILL MAINTAINS. HE HAS BEEN A ROTARIAN SINCE 1993, SPONSORED BY LOWELL HATCHER. HE IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. MERLE AND HIS WIFE, MARGE, HAVE FOUR CHILDREN AND NINE GRANDCHILDREN. MERLE'S HOBBIES INCLUDE PLAYING GOLF, SPENDING TIME WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN, PLAYING GOLF, JUST BEING " GRANPAPA" AND PLAYING GOLF..............

The RI President and SERVICE

We must look beyond our own parish pump.. We must look beyond our own home and our own community. We must look beyond our own needs, and we must be aware that ours is only one community, of one country, of the many communities and countries in this world.

--2009-10 RI President John Kenny

I will email the biography we have on file for you a few weeks before you are scheduled as Rotarian of the Day. Please review the biography immediately upon receipt of my email and let me know if corrections are needed.

I need to have your biography information and program information at LEAST one week before you are scheduled as Rotarian of the Day.

Our esteemed President Bob Green is requesting that each week our scheduled Rotarian of the Day give a brief (2-3 minute) classification talk. This brief talk should just expand on your biography information.

Very important!! Please make sure your email account isn't sending my AOL email messages to your spam box. My email address will appear as DeVoreAJ@aol.com