Babs Merkert

Jeanne Babette Merkert (maiden name Jones), 82, known to everyone as Babs, was called home to the Lord on August 11, 2026, at her care facility in Arvada, CO, after a hard-fought battle with Alzheimer’s. She leaves behind her husband of 62 years, P. Thomas Merkert, her children Kelley DeCleene (Randy) and Tom Merkert (Tamara), grandchildren Greg Schreiber (Kelsey), Lauren Wyand (Alec), Carley Carter (Matt), Eli Merkert, and Kaci Merkert, one great-grandson Bode Wyand, and brother Mark Jones (Ruthie). Babs was preceded in death by her father, Willard Myron Jones, her mother, Jeanne Adelaide Jones, her father-in-law Paul Merkert, Jr., her mother-in-law Alice Marie Merkert (Karn), and her brother Steve Jones (Victoria).

Babs was born in Oklahoma to parents Bill and Jeanne Jones. She grew up in Ft. Wayne, IN and spent her summers at their cottage on Clear Lake, where she met her husband, Tom. They went to college together at Purdue University, after which they had their first child, Kelley, and moved to New York for a year, and then to the Milwaukee/Waukesha area where they had their second child, Tom, and raised the kids and the dogs.

Babs spent her career teaching high school math, primarily AP Calculus. She also earned a master’s degree in Computer Science and spent many years working for TI, teaching teachers how to use graphing calculators in their classrooms. During this time, she also received a presidential award for teaching and got to accept it at the White House! She was extremely proud of this through her last days. Her teaching expertise also extended to countless math tutoring sessions with her grandkids and volunteer tutoring in her community after retirement. Babs was also well-known for her ability to write on the blackboard and sign yearbooks backwards! Many of her former students are likely carrying this on.

Babs and Tom enjoyed their retirement years at their lake home in Oconomowoc, where they enjoyed being part of a wonderful, supportive community. They also attended and served for many years at Elmbrook Lake Country Church, creating relationships that brought her closer to the Lord and developing a giving spirit that led to knitting scarves for pretty much everyone she met, including workers at nearby stores and places she frequented.

Everyone who knew Babs knows how much she loved dogs, hers and everyone else’s. She had a dog at her memory care home and loved visiting Tom’s four dogs. She even got puppy kisses at her care facility on her last day here on earth.

Babs loved her shopping trips, especially to Talbots. She never turned down an opportunity to shop with the grandkids or to grab a coffee at Starbucks. The grandkids have fond memories of her showing off her flexibility from her early years of dancing. She would drop into the splits or show off her leg kicks well into her 70’s, anywhere, anytime, actually still doing pointed-toe leg kicks at her memory care home. Many thanks to Applewood Our House for the wonderful care and comfort they provided.

There will be a celebration of life for Babs on Saturday, September 5th, 2026, at:

Elmbrook Church -Lake County

1100 WI-Hwy 83

Hartland, WI 53029

Visitation 10am – 11am, Service 11am-noon, lunch to follow.

Thank you to all who have loved Babs for her 82 years and will continue to love her as she looks over us with her angel wings.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Elmbrook Church or The Alzheimer’s Association.