On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Merle Thiessen, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and dear friend passed away. He was 88 years old and his sense of humor and funny one-liners were still being delivered until his last days. Born to Oscar and Melba Thiessen on Sept. 29, 1937, Merle was the eldest of four children. He attended school in Tammany and Lewiston, graduating high school in 1955. He attended the University of Idaho, graduating with a degree in Agronomy in 1959. He returned to Lewiston to farm with his father. He married the love and boss of his life, Louvette Utter on Dec. 21, 1962. They welcomed their first daughter, Melissa Marie on Dec. 22, 1964. On June 11, 1967, another daughter, Terri Lynne, was born.
Merle continued to farm with his father and eventually took over the farming operation with his brothers, Gene and Bob. They formed a partnership, farming grain in the Tammany and Webb Ridge area, and also a cattle operation in Asotin, though Merle didn’t participate in the cows if he was able to avoid it. Merle was a quiet and humble man, who wouldn’t share a lot about his accomplishments, but he was admired for his skills and involvement in the community by many. He was honored as Outstanding Farmer of the Year in 1989. Many people agree that Merle was the original “auto-steer” before auto-steer was even invented, noting his ability to keep the lines in his fields straight. He was one of the first farmers in the area to adopt strip cropping, and as times changed, and eventually adopted no-till seeding. Merle’s service to the community and farm organizations include 21 years as a director in the Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District, 4-H leader of the Tammany Livestock Club, Resource and Conservation Development Board, Tammany School Board, Nez Perce County and Weed Board and county representative for the Farm Credit Bureau.
Merle and Louvette enjoyed traveling later in life, taking their fifth-wheel camper on many cross-country trips, including a 90-day trip across the country, through the South and to see the fall colors, to Alaska on the Al-Can Highway, to Minnesota via Yellowstone, the Black Hills and Badlands, through Canada to New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. and multiple winters spent in Mesa, Ariz. They also enjoyed trips to Hawaii, Walt Disney World and took a cruise to Alaska. Though the adventures were thoroughly enjoyed, Merle was always antsy to get back to the valley as farming seasons were changing and he didn’t want to miss the start of harvest or seeding. Besides farming and traveling, Merle enjoyed square dancing, golfing and playing cards with friends.
Merle was preceded in death by his parents Oscar and Melba Thiessen, siblings Gene and Margaret and beloved wife Louvette. He is survived by his brother Bob, daughters Melissa Sander and Terri (Jerrod) Spriet, granddaughters Becky (Derek) Finnell, Shelby (Leiden) Cook, Sami Spriet and great-granddaughters Laramie and Dally Finnell.
A service will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, July 1, at Malcom’s Brower-Wann Funeral Home, 1711 18th St., Lewiston.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nez Perce County 4-H, 1239 Idaho St., Lewiston, ID or to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley Meals on Wheels at P.O. Box 1711, Lewiston, ID.
Service Information
- Date & Time
- Monday, June 29, 1:00 PM
- Location
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Lewiston, ID 83501
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1711 18th Street