Merlene Kieren

Merlene Kieren was born on May 9, 1920 and raised in Arkansas as the daughter of a sharecropper. She started working in the fields at the age of three. As a young woman she moved to California and worked at McDonnell-Douglas building airplanes for World War II. She was proud of her service during the war and was honored by having her name engraved in a Rosie the Riveter Memorial with the Smithsonian. While building airplanes, she met Harry Kieren. After the war she followed him back to Arizona where they were married in 1946. Merlene was a homemaker who enjoyed spending time with her daughter, grandsons and great-granddaughters and their friends. She enjoyed sewing and traveling by car. She was an active member of the Church of Christ of Globe. Merlene is survived by her daughter, Linda Carnahan, her grandsons Ron (Didi) Carnahan, Jody (Tina) Carnahan and Christopher Carnahan. Also by her great-granddaughters Catie (Shayne) Carnahan, Becky Carnahan and Abbie (Stephen Wallis) Carnahan. Graveside services will be held on May 29, 2021 at Mountain Breeze Memorial Gardens on Highway 60.