Merle Ann (Shepard) Salling

Merle Ann Shepard Salling, 95 years of age from Middle Haddam, Connecticut

Merle passed away peacefully on April 6th 2025, six days after her 95th birthday. She was surrounded with family at her bedside in the Middlesex Hospital Critical Care Unit.

Born Merle Shepard, she grew up in Wethersfield, CT where she met and married Paul Salling. Together they had six children. Paul died early in their marriage. As a young widow, Merle dedicated her life to caring for her children, particularly two with special needs. She was a very strong person with a kind and gentle spirit. She will be missed by all those who were blessed to have known her        

Merle was born in 1930, just after the start of the Great Depression and lived through the events of World War II. Both had a lasting impression on her. She often reminisced about picking and selling apples from her family’s apple trees with her brother Bruce at a very young age.

She grew up reading the Dick Tracy comic strip in the Hartford Courant where Dick would talk into his wrist watch, imagine that! As a young child she listened to radio as a form of entertainment. In the late 1930’s television was invented.  It evolved from black and white TV to color and then cable TV with remotes.

She got to ride in the first family car, a Ford Model T. She was able to see the first rocket launch into space, the first man step on the moon, the beginning of the computer age, party line telephones to cellphones. Later in life she had a cellphone and always marveled at what it could do.

She loved looking through photo albums of family gatherings and sharing those memories. She was very proud of her Scottish ancestry and in 2023 received a land title of Lady Merle Shepard Salling. 

She loved nature shows on TV, reading, gardening and going out to eat. Merle was a volunteer in the Ladies Aid Society and the Middle Haddam Library.  She was ahead of her time in composting and recycling and believed in healthy living and eating. 

Merle was predeceased by her parents, Harry and Gladys Shepard, her husband Paul Salling, her daughter Barbara Salling, her brother Bruce Shepard and his wife Barbara Shepard, by John and Edith Salling , Fred and Florence Salling, John and Jean Salling , Charles and Georgia Wolfe and Paul Wolfe.

She leaves behind her children Todd Salling, Claire Salling, Donna Chalmers (nee Salling), Paul Salling, Karen Dansereau (nee Salling) and her husband Richard Dansereau. Her grandchildren; Danielle and Paul Botwick, Kristen and Katie Dansereau and Rebecca Chalmers. She also leaves behind her sister Gail Kuzmak and her husband David.

There are many nieces and nephews; Edie, Ginny, Paula, Elaine, Charlie, Janice, Fred, John, MaryAnn, Scott, Ethan, Beth, Melinda, Jay, and all their lovely spouses and children.  The family gatherings made for wonderful family memories. Each one was very special to her.

The church service will be held at the Congregational Church of Portland 554 Main Street, Portland CT on May 17th at 1 o’clock

Refreshments will be served directly after the service

Attendees are encouraged to wear colors – she wasn’t fond of black

Burial will be family only

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