Merle Lee Rahn Horton, 89 devoted wife of 63 years to the late Kenneth (Ken) Lawrence Horton, Jr. and much loved mother of Kenneth Lawrence (Larry) Horton, III and his wife Donna of Raleigh, NC, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 5, 2016.
Merle was born December 26, 1926 to Hugh Ellis Rahn and Corrie Ola Lee Rahn in Beaufort, South Carolina. After graduation from Beaufort High School, she took nurses training at Savannah Hospital during World War II. She met her future husband, who was in the Air Force, in Savannah while he was on leave before going overseas to fight in the war. They courted and then married after he returned from the war.
Merle was a registered nurse. She worked at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville and at Forsyth Memorial Hospital. Merle went back to school to further her nursing education. She received her bachelor of science degree from Winston-Salem State University in 1979 and her master's degree in nursing from UNC-Greensboro in 1985.
Merle loved to read, quilt, garden, and make dolls. She was naturally inquisitive and was always reading about new things she was interested in. Merle and Ken enjoyed their life together in North Carolina. They were good neighbors and found fun and great friends wherever they lived. They enjoyed living in Longview Gardens in Raleigh; in Woodside Hills in Enka; and in Knollwood Manor in Winston-Salem. They liked to travel and visited all of the 50 states and traveled in Canada. Ken's parents, Pearl and Kenneth, lived with them after Merle and Ken moved from Enka to Winston-Salem and they loved and cared for them until they passed away. When Ken passed away in 2010, Merle moved to Raleigh to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law, Donna. They both loved her and took care of her and kept her company.
Merle is survived by her son, Larry, and his wife, Donna and by granddaughter Laura Lee Horton, great-grandson Michael Jaylen Taylor, and great-granddaughter Sandra Nicole Ferrell of Raleigh; grandson Hugh Ellis Horton (wife Jewell) and great-grandson Archer Horton of Watha, NC; and step granddaughter Shannon Phillips Ferrell (husband, Josh) and three step great grandsons Kane, Parker, and Colt Ferrell; brother Hugh Edward "Ned" Rahn (wife, Faye); sister Miriam "Mickey" Rahn Vaigneur; and sister Hilda Ann Rahn. Merle was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Lawrence Horton, Jr. and her brother Marion "Bucky" Rahn.
Larry and Donna are very grateful for all of the love and support from friends and family. Also, the family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Sunrise of Raleigh ("The Mansion") and the Heartland Hospice staff for their love, care and kindness to Merle.
Visitation will be from 12:30-1:00 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at Montlawn Funeral Home, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27603 and a graveside memorial service will follow at 1:00 pm at Montlawn Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Merle's name to West Raleigh Presbyterian Church, 27 Horne St., Raleigh, NC 27607; Heartland Memorial Fund at Heartlandhospicefund.org; or Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.montlawn.com