Merle Vern Anderson biography: 15 things about US Navy veteran from Bay City, Michigan

Who was Merle Vern Anderson?

Merle Vern Anderson was an American fireman and a United States Navy veteran born in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, USA to Ted L. Anderson and Edna M. Anderson. Merle was 2 years younger than her sister Ellen G. Anderson, 2 years older than his sister Ruth E. Anderson and 4 years older than his brother Lloyd C. Anderson.

Merle was 7 months older than his wife Thelma Bernice Brown Anderson. Here are 15 more things about him:

1. He served in the U.S. Navy during the World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. 
2. On October 9, 1945, he married Thelma in Bay City.
3. In 1947, Thelma gave birth to their son Michael DuWayne Anderson in Bay City.
4. In 1950, Thelma gave birth to their daughters Carol Jane Anderson and Gail Patricia Anderson in Bay City.
5. On September 29, 1950, he became a fireman at The Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Midland County, Michigan.
6. On November 10, 1952, Thelma gave birth to their daughter Nancy Patricia Anderson in Bay City.
7. In 1954, Thelma gave birth to their daughter Mary Beth Anderson in Bay City.
8. In 1955, Thelma gave birth to their daughter Betty Anderson in Bay City.
9. In 1956, Thelma gave birth to their son John F. Anderson in Bay City.
10. In 1958, Thelma gave birth to their son James Lloyd Anderson in Bay City.
11. In 1960, Thelma gave birth to their daughter Janet Anderson in Bay City.
12. In 1964, Thelma gave birth to their son William Brian Anderson in Bay City.
13. On September 4, 1965, he turned 39.
14. On January 8, 1966, he was critically burned in the explosion of a boiler at The Dow Chemical Company in Midland. His fellow fireman Roy Arthur Estep received minor burns and returned to work on January 9, 1966.
15. On January 24, 1966, he died at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland in Midland.

On January 7, 1972, Nancy was fatally stabbed 63 times inside her apartment in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA allegedly by Tudor Chirila Jr. He was an alumnus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Mānoa, Honolulu.

On September 14, 2022, officers from the police department of Reno, Nevada, USA arrested Chirila at a hospital in Reno. On September 15, 2022, he pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and being a fugitive from another state.

On December 25, 2023, Chirila was pronounced dead at a hospital. Why he allegedly killer Nancy and whether or not they knew each other are still unknown.