Leon Arlo Herbst

    Leon Arlo Herbst, 78, Merrill, Iowa, passed away peacefully Christmas Night holding the hands of his loved ones.

    A private service will be held Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Online condolences can be expressed at www.meyerbroschapels.com.

    He was the first born on three children to Arlo and Catherine (Mulder) Herbst.  Leon began working at a very young age on the farm.  His uncles said at the age of 12, he did the work of grown men.  Working with his father, uncles, grandfather, and cousins was the foundation of his life.  Helping neighbors with anything imaginable was how he was raised.  And at the center of family life was St. John Lutheran Church.

    Leon’s dad died his senior year, he took over the farming operation.  Pushed to take on the responsibilities of a man for his mother and two sisters, Lois and Pat. 

    Leon’s good friend, Ron Johnson, was dating Teresa Kasch.  Ron and Teresa set Leon up with Teresa’s good friend, Candi Harrison, on a date.  It must have worked because the year after Candi graduated high school they were married.  Candi, was a city girl from the big town of Hinton, Iowa, and she moved to Herbst Farm, rural Merrill.  Leon opened a repair shop and fixed everything… the bigger the better…. combines, semis, tractors, autos…. well he had a talent for fixing anything.  

    They settled in to married life, and became involved with their community, church, family, and friends…. and eventually had two children, a son, Justin, and a daughter, Noel.   Leon was a doting husband and father giving his family everything that he could. The Herbst farm was always busy, and Leon employed many seasonal workers as he did a lot of custom farming. The repair shop grew and until his last days the repair shop remained a place for men to gather and discuss their problems, religion and politics, you name it.  Leon always had a trusty dog by his side.  There wasn’t a soul he wouldn’t help out, and he gave everyone a chance.  His kindness and compassion will be missed by many. 

   Leon and Candi moved to town, but the farm and the repair shop were part of his daily agenda.  He started each day with his Bible study, and ended the day that way.  He would say “you are in my prayers” to everyone and he meant that…. He wrote a daily log…. and in it were prayers for everyone he knew and came in contact with.  He suffers no longer, and his love for everything good lives on.

  Those left to honor his memory are his wife, Candi Herbst of Merrill; son Justin Herbst of Merrill; daughter Noel Herbst of Merrill; sister Lois (Jim) Antonen of Davis, CA; brothers-in-law Gil Winter of Le Mars, IA and Randy Harrison of Hinton; many cousins; nephews; and 1 niece.

  He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Pat Winter.