AUBURN – Helen J. Merkle, 89, died July 18 at the Hospice House in Auburn following a brief illness.

She was born on Oct. 21, 1916, in Hackensack, N.J., the daughter of the late Thomas P. and Tillie (Demler) Smith. She attended schools in Hackensack, graduating from Hackensack High School in June of 1935.

She worked as a secretary to the vice president of a crude drug importing firm in New York City.

She married Frederick J. Walther of Teaneck, N.J., on Aug. 12, 1937. She and her husband moved to Maine in March of 1952, where they owned and operated a tourist business in Solon.

In 1963, they moved to Farmington, where she worked as a legal secretary to Judge Benjamin Butler for 15 years until her retirement.

She was predeceased by her husband, Fred, in 1975.

In March of 1979, she married Francis R. Merkle at the Eaton Memorial United Methodist Church in Livermore Falls where they made their home.

Helen was treasurer of Mizpah Circle, King’s Daughters and Sons of which she had been a member since 1979. She was also treasurer of Eaton Memorial United Methodist Church, of which she was a member and also treasurer of United Methodist Women.

In addition to her husband Francis of Livermore Falls, she is survived by a son, Frederick Walther and his wife, Coleen, of West Poland; a daughter, Carol Stinchfield and her husband, William, of Sandy River Plantation; two stepdaughters, Karon Breton and her husband, Gaetan, of Lewiston and Cindy Parker and her husband, Alan, of Wynne, Ark.; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren; and a sister, Dorothy Field of Bayville, N.J.

She was predeceased by four brothers, Walter, Thomas, Arthur and Harry Smith, all of New Jersey; and three sisters, Gertrude Stanton, Laura Loretta and Marjorie Spotholtz.

The family of Helen Merkle wishes to express their sincere gratitude for the compassionate care and support given by the staff aides, nurses and Dr. Austin at the Androscoggin Hospice House in Auburn.