11/25/1976
Name: Merna Martha Monroe
Birth: 21 Nov 1900 Indiana, Marion County, Iowa
Death: 25 Nov 1976 Orono, Penobscot County, Maine
Cemetery: Graceland Cemetery
Burial: Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa
Father: Frank A. Monroe
Mother: Mary E. Simmons
Sister of Marita A. Monroe (1901 – 1967)
Merna Myrtha Monroe, 76, associate professor emeritus of housing at the University of Maine died November 25 in Orono, Maine. She was born in Knoxville on November 21, 1900, and was the daughter of Francis A (Frank) and Mary E. Simmons Monroe.
She graduated from Knoxville High School in 1919. She received her B.S. degree from Iowa State College and her M.S. degree in household equipment from Kansas State, and did advanced work at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. and the University of North Carolina. She worked as a hospita dietician • for five years and came to the University of Maine in 1932 to do research in household equipment and housing.
From 1943 to 1946 she was on military leave, serving as a U.S. Army dietician in the medical corps. The following was taken from the Des Moines Register dated Oct. 6, 1944: "Denver,
A.P. From W.A.C. Private to civilian to W.A.C. Second Lieutenant will be the progress of Merna Monroe of Knoxville.
Private Monroe will be discharged from Army Sunday night and Monday noon will be commissioned as an officer in the dieticians' division of the Medical Corps. She won the direct commission for her rheumatic fever control experiments at Buckley Field Regional Hospital."
After her time in the service she taught at Ohio State University and then returned to the University of Maine in 1947 where she did both teaching and research until her retirement in 1966. She was the author of many experiment station publications and articles in professional journals. She was a member of several honorary scholastic societies including Sigma Xi, She was also athender of ttie American Housing Association arid was honored by the organization a few years ago.
Her parents and a sister, Marita, preceded her in death. She is survived by several cousins.
Graveside services were held December 6 at Graceland Cemetery with Rev. Kermit Gladfelder officiating.