(Work in progress with redundancies to be rooted out.)

Merl Virgil Taylor was born on Thursday 9 March 1933 on Marquette Island, Cedarville, Clark Township, Mackinac County, Michigan, United States of America and died on Tuesday 6 January 2009 in Portage Lakes, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America.

Merl's father Osmer Merle Taylor was born on Monday 14 January 1895 in Albion, Conneaut Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States of America and died on Monday 4 June 1990 in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America. Merl's mother Grace Edith Taylor (maiden name West; named at birth Edna Edith Grace West; married name Taylor) was born on Tuesday 16 January 1900 in Ravenswood, Jackson County, West Virginia, United States of America and died on Thursday 5 October 1995 in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America. Osmer Merle Taylor was 24 years of age and Grace Edith Taylor (maiden name West; named at birth Edna Edith Grace West; married name Taylor) was 19 years of age when the couple married on Monday 9 June 1919 in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America. Together the couple had 3 children.

Osmer and Grace's son (and Merl's brother) William Warren Lloyd "Bill" Taylor was born on Saturday 14 August 1920 in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America and died on Friday 25 February 2005 in Florida, United States of America. His wife Edith Impi Maria Taylor (maiden name Nykanen) was born on Sunday 9 September 1917 in Chatham, Rock River Township, Alger County, Michigan, United States of America and died on Tuesday 3 March 2009 in Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida, United States of America. William Warren "Lloyd" Taylor was 23 years of age and Edith Impi Maria Taylor (maiden name Nykanen) was 26 years of age when the couple married on Thursday 8 June 1944 in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States of America and together had a not yet known number of children.

Osmer and Grace's son (and the subject of this biography) Merl Virgil Taylor was born on Thursday 9 March 1933 in Cedarville, Clark Township, Mackinac County, Michigan, United States of America and died on Tuesday 6 January 2009 in Portage Lakes, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America. His wife Thelma Louise DeLong (maiden name Somers; married name Taylor; later name DeLong) was born on Sunday 25 March 1934 in Noble County, Ohio, United States of America and died on Wednesday 16 January 2013 (according to relatives, although official records show Thursday 17 January 2013) in California, United States of America. Merl Virgil Taylor was 25 years of age and Thelma Louise Taylor (maiden name Somers; married name Taylor; later name DeLong) was 24 years of age when the couple married on Monday 7 April 1958 in the city of Canton (located in Canton Township and Plain Township), Stark County, Ohio, United States of America with a marriage license obtained in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America. Together the couple had 5 children.

Osmer and Grace had a daughter (and Merl's sister) (name withheld for privacy reasons).

Merl was 9 years of age in 1942 and living on Marquette Island, Cedarville, Clark Township, Mackinac County, Michigan, United States of America and attending the 3rd grade on the mainland at the Cedarville School in Cedarville, Clark Township, Mackinac County, Michigan, United States of America.

Merl was 16 years of age on Sunday 10 April 1949 when he received a "Certificate of Baptism and Church Membership" in the Central United Methodist Church (formerly the Central Methodist Episcopal Church) of Sault Sainte Marie, (Upper Peninsula), Michigan, United States of America.

Merl was 18 years of age in the spring of 1951 when he graduated from the Saulte Sainte Marie High School in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States of America. He was 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighed 140 pounds, and had brown hair and blue eyes.

Merl was 20 years of age on Monday 9 March 1953 when he received word that he was being inducted into the United States Army.

Merl was mentioned in "The Evening News" newspaper of Chippewa, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, edition for Wednesday 21 October 1953: Pvt. Merl V. Taylor, son of Mr. and Mrs. Osmer M. Taylor of 2137 West Fourth Avenue, is now stationed in Korea, according to word received by his parents. He entered the service on March 9, 1953. His address is: Pvt. Merl V. Taylor, U.S. 553S0903, Service Battery, 64th, FAB, APO No. 25, Postmaster, San Francisco, California.

Merl served as a Light Vehicle Driver with the rank of Private First Class (PFC) in the Service Battery of the 64th Field Artillery Battalion (105MM) of the United States Army, and was stationed in Korea during the Korean War. His medals included the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Ribbon, United Nations Service Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal.

Merl was 21 years of age on Tuesday 15 June 1954 when he was among six people promoted from Private to Private First Class by Order Number 18 from the Service Battery of the 64th Field Artillery Battalion of the United States Army.

Merl's DD Form 214 states that his most significant duty assignment was with the Service Battery of the 64th Field Artillery Battalion. He was inducted on 10 March 1953 and separated from service on 25 February 1955. His awards included a National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Ribbon, United Nations Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. He was a Light Vehicle Driver with the final rank of Pvt2, U.S. Army.

Merl was 21 years of age on Friday 25 February 1955 when his service in the United States Army was completed. He served for 1 year, 11 months, and 15 days.

Merl was 24 years of age in about September of 1957 when he met his future wife, 23 years of age Thelma Louise Somers. She was running an errand for the M. O'Neil Department Store at 226 Main Street in downtown Akron, Summit County, Ohio where she worked. The couple dated for about 8 months before marrying.

Merl was 25 years of age on Monday 7 April 1958 and in the city of Canton (located in Canton Township and Plain Township), Stark County, Ohio, United States of America when, with a marriage license obtained in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America, he married 24 years of age Thelma Louise DeLong (maiden name Somers; married name Taylor; later name DeLong) who was born on Sunday 25 March 1934 in Noble County, Ohio, United States of America and (according to relatives) died on Wednesday 16 January 2013 (although official records show Thursday 17 January 2013) in California, United States of America. Together the couple had 5 children (names withheld for privacy reasons).

Merl's wife Thelma Louise Taylor's (maiden name Somers; married name Taylor; later name DeLong) occupation was keeping house and furniture restoration.

Merl was 46 years of age on 7 April 1979 when his marriage of 21 years to Thelma Louise DeLong (maiden name Somers; married name Taylor; later name DeLong) ended in divorce.

Merl lived at the house of Manetta V. Bray in Clinton, Franklin Township, Summit County, Ohio from about 1981 until Manetta died on Friday 17 November 2000.

Merl was 75 years, 9 months, and 28 days of age on Tuesday 6 January 2009 and in the Saint Luke Lutheran Community of Portage Lakes (an assisted living facility), Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States of America when he died. He lived 27,698 days.

Merl Virgil Taylor was buried with military honors on Friday 9 January 2009 in Section 11, Site 1492 in the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery at 10175 Rawiga Road, Seville, Guilford Township, Medina County, Ohio, United States of America. The gravesite marker reads as follows: MERL VIRGIL TAYLOR, PFC, US ARMY, KOREA, MAR 9 1933, JAN 6 2009, LOVING MEMORY, REST IN PEACE.

Additional biographical information on Merl Virgil Taylor can be found in the captions for the photographs shown here (move cursor onto any photograph and single-click or double-click computer mouse buttons or touchpad buttons).