Raymond Herman “Butch” Merian of Breese, IL, passed away peacefully in the company of his family on January 2nd, 2026. Butch was born on July 5th, 1946, in Breese to Raymond Herman Merian Sr. and Marie (Pollmann) Gebke. He graduated from Mater Dei High School in 1965 and was drafted into the United States Army, serving until the end of 1967. Upon his return from military service, Butch embarked on a 32-year career at McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing) in Berkeley, MO, as a production manager. He married Dorothy Kuczka of Beckemeyer, IL, on July 15, 1972, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Beckemeyer, IL. They have two children, Theodore Scott “Theo” Merian and Alison (Merian) McAtee. After retiring from Boeing, he worked at a number of local businesses, including Rehkemper & Son in St. Rose, Walmart in Highland, and Jansen Chevrolet in Germantown.
A lifelong resident of Breese, Butch was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and enjoyed hobbies such as golf, fishing, playing cards, and especially bowling. He was a regular at Wally’s Drive-In, delighting in their cheeseburgers since they opened in the 1950s, all the way up to the end. Butch belonged to St. Dominic Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, both in Breese. Butch will be remembered as a loving spouse, parent, and grandparent.
Butch is survived by Dorothy, his wife of 53 years; children Theo (Andi) Merian, and Alison (Mike) McAtee; brothers-in-law Burnell “Rookie” Laux, Michael (Lynn) Kuczka, and Henry Schmitt; sisters-in-law Pat Kuczka (Feldman) and Mary Kotthoff; and grandchildren Luke & Mara Merian and Penny McAtee.
Butch was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Merian Sr. and Marie Gebke (Pollmann); brother Larry Merian; sisters Sue (Merian) Laux and Martha Jane Merian (passed in infancy); brothers-in-law Gus Kuczka, Joe Kuczka, and Don Kuczka; sisters-in-law Georgiana (Kruse) Kuczka and Mary Ann (Kuczka) Schmitt.
Visitation and Funeral Mass will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Breese, IL, on Tuesday, January 6th, with visitation beginning at 9:30 am until Mass at 11:30 am. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to All Saints Academy or the Jean Kuczka Foundation and will be accepted at the church or through Zieren Funeral Home, 1111 Clinton St., Carlyle, IL, 62231.
