Merten Bevitt

Merten “Mert” A. Bevitt, 83, of Shawnee, KS, passed away October 21, 2021, at his home. Visitation: Thursday, October 28, from Noon to 1 p.m. at the Hanover Mortuary. Funeral: 1:00 p.m., Thursday, at the Hanover Mortuary in Hanover. Burial: St. John’s Catholic Cemetery. Mert was born November 27, 1937, in Morganville, Ks, son of Kenneth and Edna Bevitt. Mert was a 1956 graduate of Barnes High School. He then served in the Army National Guard and farmed until he found his passion for Trucking. On December 14, 1958, he married his first wife and they had three beautiful children together. Mert found his passion for trucking in 1959 hauling freight as well as livestock from Kansas to Texas. He met his second wife, Mary Bruna who was working at the Pony Express in Hanover, KS. Mert then took a job with a nationwide trucking company and moved to Kansas City. After a two-year courtship, Mert and Mary married on January 14, 1967, and moved to Overland Park, KS. Mert worked for Consolidated Freight Ways until his retirement in 1999. Mert was an avid toy collector. He met a lot of friends through auctions and toy shows. His collection consisted of diecast tractors, steel trucks, trains, and cast-iron toys. He fabricated and built 1/16 scale machinery from pictures they took while traveling the country in their retirement years. The first scale model he built was of a Massey Harris 21A combine. He was part of the Two-Cylinder club and was also inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Dyersville, IA. Mert was a straight shooter. He took great joy in his children and grandchildren and was proud of all of them. He was a joker and loved to tease the grandkids. He was also very good at giving advice and helping you to make good decisions in life. He always said it like it was, so you always knew where you stood with him. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary; 4 sons, Joey, Rush Center, Ks, Scott, Shawnee, Ks, Jeff (Jennifer), Shawnee, Ks, Kevin, Shawnee, Ks; 3 daughters, Sherry (John) Gill, La Crosse, Ks, Sally, La Crosse, Ks, Brenda (Nicholas) Frei, Lenexa, Ks; 2 brothers, Clint, St. George, Ks, Richard (Mary Lou) Manhattan, Ks; 8 grandchildren, Amy (Vince) Perry, Ellsworth, Ks, Julie (John) Hoverson, Smithville, Mo, Christine (Mark) Baalmann, La Crosse, Ks, James (Brittany) Suppes, Smith Center, Ks, Matthew (Sharon) Suppes, Baldwin City, Ks, Grace, Jack, Michael, Shawnee, Ks; and 10 great grandchildren. A memorial fund has been established and will be designated later. Contributions may be sent in care of the Hanover Mortuary. Funeral video for Merten Bevitt To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Merten Bevitt, please visit our flower store.