Ida "Merle" Call

Ida Merle Nielsen Call was born 12 December 1930 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah to Clayton Christian and Elizabeth Hannah Wheeler Nielsen. She was greeted by one brother, La Mar C. Nielsen. Ida Merle enrolled at Utah State Agriculture College in Logan, Utah and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Bacteriology and Chemistry. She completed an internship in Medical Technology at L.D.S. Hospital in Salt Lake City and became a Registered Medical Technologist in 1953 and continued to work in the Blood Bank at L.D.S. Hospital. In 1955, Ida Merle accepted a call to the British Mission and served 18 months in England and Scotland. She returned and went back to work at L.D.S. Hospital in 1957. In 1964 she went to San Francisco to take a year of training to become certified as a Blood Bank Technologist. She went from there to Memorial Hospital of Long Beach where she worked in the Blood Bank as a Certified Blood Bank Specialist. Ida Merle moved back to Twin Falls in 1968 to take the job as Chief Technologist of the Magic Valley Memorial Hospital Laboratory. She was also the head of the Blood Bank and at that time was the only Certified Blood Banker in the state of Idaho. In 1970, Ida Merle met De Verl Call and they were married on Halloween, in the Idaho Falls L.D.S. Temple for time and all eternity. It was at this time that Ida Merle dropped the Ida from her name and became Merle. Merle quipped that she went from an ‘old maid to a call girl’ with this marriage. She then became Merle to new friends and family, but still remained Ida Merle to old friends and the Nielsen family. Merle and DeVerl had 37 good years together. Merle felt fortunate to have inherited a large, special Call family. She and DeVerl visited and kept in touch with all of the Call family and loved the nieces and nephews. Merle and DeVerl had lots of friends and enjoyed having parties in their home. They traveled the world with friends and family. They were active in their church and held many callings. After Merle retired from the hospital she worked as a volunteer at the hospital for many years. Merle lost her dear friend, sweetheart, and eternal companion in 2007, and struggled with the loss. She kept busy volunteering at the hospital two days a week and doing temple work one day a week, and “keeping up her home, yard, car, and finances” and found out it was a lot of work! She always said that she didn’t have a talent – yet she left a legacy of books that she put together for family, friends, and coworkers. They are a gift of histories, stories and pictures that have added a dimension to the recipient’s lives that they would otherwise not have had. Merle passed away on July 30, 2023, at Grace Assisted Living in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was preceded in death by her husband, DeVerl Call and her brother, Dr. Lamar Nielsen. She is survived by several nieces and nephews. A graveside service for Merle will be held on Friday, August 4, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Park in Twin Falls, Idaho. All are welcome.