Merlin Clifford "Skeet" Bevitt

Merlin Clifford “Skeet” Bevitt passed away on June 20, 2020 in Topeka.  Skeet was born on November 16, 1927 in White City, Kansas to Merlin and Dessie (Hohman) Bevitt. He grew up near the Valencia and Silver Lake communities and in southern Shawnee and northern Osage counties, and attended Auburn High School. He married his childhood sweetheart, Doris Parrish, in 1948 and they made their home in the Highland Park area of Topeka. There they welcomed two children, Karen and Steve, into their family. While in Topeka, Skeet worked as a roofer for Warren Roofing and later as the roofing superintendent at Whelan’s. The family moved to a farm north of Overbrook in 1963, where Skeet worked for Northbrook Lumber until he retired. Doris passed away in 1987. He met Lotta Keefover through friends at a common card group, and they married in 1998. Lotta passed away in 2011.

Skeet found joy in weekly domino games at “The Patch” in Overbrook and traveling with friends on bus tours. He loved spending time with his family and supporting them in their interests and watching grandkids and great-grand kids grow and take interests of their own. He enjoyed being outdoors gardening and hunting (both pheasants and mushrooms). He often traveled with friends to attend the Belleville races and loved watching and listening to Kansas City Royals baseball and KU basketball. He had a fondness for puzzles and history and enjoyed reminiscing about family.

Skeet was preceded in death by his parents; sister Marlene Ecklund; brother Bob; and daughter Karen and her husband Jim Hesseltine. He is survived by his brother Harlan Bevitt, Burlingame; and sister June Bentley, Texas; brother-in-law Arthur (Shirley) Parrish, Anchorage, AK; son Steve (Lora), Burlingame; step children Rick (Lynne) Keefover, Carbondale and Lynn (Berry) Collier, Berryton; grandchildren Tim (Beth) Hesseltine, Andover; Kevin (Shawna) Hesseltine, Topeka; Tod (Wendi) Bevitt, Oskaloosa; Clayton (Stefanie) Bevitt, Burlingame; Jaimie (Vance) Myers, Burlingame; step grand children: Lori (Andy) Fisher, Denver; and Machell Collier, Seattle; Melissa (Wyatt) Mark, Lenexa; Amy Brown, Wichita; Tyler (Leslee) Brown, Wichita; great-grandchildren Jordan (Brooke Stueve) Hesseltine and Hunter Hesseltine; Maura and Nathan Bruenger; Liam, Laura, Samuel, Emma, and Jarett Bevitt, and Vadin and Devin Myers; step-great-grandchildren Sydney and Blaine Fisher, Denver; Lauren and Ty Brown, Wichita; McKinley and Maggie Mark, Lenexa; and nieces and nephews.

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