Merle left her earthly vessel and returned to her Heavenly Father October 19th at 8:53 am. She is now reunited with her father, mother, and beloved husband. Merle was born to Benjamin Wiley & Bertha Phillips. She married her sweetheart, Gilbert A Pangos, on December 31, 1949, at the age of 16. They were later sealed to each other in the Salt Lake Temple and to their daughters, Rhonda & Brenda. She lost a baby boy and girl at birth and can finally meet them with endless snuggles.

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Merle was a wife and homemaker until Kennecott’s strike and had to go in hunt of a job where she made baking pans. She then moved on to work for Grand Central, wearing many hats through the years. She eventually chose to leave the accounting job there to work for “The Store” in the deli and meat department. Whatever she did, she did her absolute best and was top notch. She loved to sew (even making matching outfits for her girls), knit, crochet, quilt, and paint wood workings. She bowled for years, winning trophy after trophy every year, because she was the best. Many people stood in line for her Poor Man’s Fruit Cake. She could do anything! She enjoyed doing things for others and had a way of making them feel special. Everyone loved being around her and she was the glue that held the family together. Her greatest attribute was being the “best of the best” mother, wife, grandmother, and friend. During her final months, she shared hours of puzzling with children and grandchildren - enjoying Family Feud or Jeopardy on the TV and sharing chocolates from her collection. “Puzzling will never be the same!”

She is survived by her two daughters, Rhonda Parker (Hurricane, UT), Brenda Soper (Ryan) (West Jordan, UT), her Brothers Wendell Phillips and Melvin Phillips, 7 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandson, Murphy. She is preceded in death by two brothers, Benjamin Phillips & Floyd Phillips, sisters Wanda Carlson, and Sherrie Carlson.

Merle made friends easily with her pleasant personality, so she had many. She will be missed by sooo many.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 2:00 PM with a viewing one-hour prior beginning at 1:00 PM at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery 6500 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah 84123. An evening viewing will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the same location on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Interment will follow the funeral services at the same location.

The family would like to thank their wonderful hospice nurse, Hali, for her tender and excellent care and love for Mom.

For those unable to attend the services, Memorial Mortuaries and Cemeteries are offering a livestreaming of the funeral service on Zoom. Instructions to view the service online will be posted here shortly.