Meribeth "Merf" Dicken of Thief River Falls, MN age 71 died peacefully on Friday, July 3, 2015 at her residence in Thief River Falls, MN with her loving daughter and son at her side. Funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Friday, July 10, 2015 at Zion Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN, with Pastor Carl Hansen officiating. Burial will follow at St. Pauli Cemetery rural Thief River Falls. Visitation will be 5 - 8 PM on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at Zion Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN with a 7 PM prayer service and visitation one hour prior to the service at the church, Friday. Meribeth Lenore Folkedahl was born on May 21, 1944 in Columbia, South Carolina the daughter of Sigurd and Bonnie (Williams) Folkedahl. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Pauli Lutheran Church rural Thief River Falls, MN. Meribeth has been lovingly known as "Merf" throughout her life. She attended Washington District 221 Country School through7th Grade, then attended and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1961. Following high school, Merf moved to Grand Forks, ND and worked at the International House of Pancakes. In 1965, Merf was united in marriage to Winston Reay and to this union three children were born, Scott, Staci and Brett. Merf was a people person and loved visiting and planning get-togethers with family, friends and people she knew through work. She was instrumental in getting people together to share good food and conversation. She especially enjoyed spending time with her large extended family- if you became part of her family through a relationship or previous marriage, then you were considered part of her family forever. She also remained close to her family overseas in England and visited them often. She worked at Hugo's deli for 26 years, and also thought of them as her second family. She was a caring and tolerant person, and many people who shopped at Hugo's would stop by and chat with Merf for advice, a laugh or even a hug. Merf was vivacious, outgoing and full of energy. She loved to travel with her daughter, friends and family to interesting places including Alaska, Hawaii and even Cuba. And she was up for trying anything new; she loved adventure and anything that involved speed. She liked to drive, and was a habitual speeder with a lead foot (which drove her boyfriend crazy). It wasn't unusual to see a speeding ticket in her glove box. When she was younger she often drove in the powder puff races at local stock car racing events. She enjoyed go-cart racing, tubing at the lake, parasailing, helicopter rides and she even tried skydiving. She loved life, family and friends. She will be missed by many. In June 1994, Merf married her best friend, William "Billy" Dicken and she embraced Billy's children and grandchildren as her own. Merf was a member of St. Pauli Lutheran Church rural Thief River Falls, MN. For the past 14 years, Merf had a special relationship with Wayne Kruse. The couple enjoyed playing bingo, dancing, and traveling to visit with relatives and friends. Merf embraced Wayne's siblings, children and grandchildren as her own. Survivors include her loving children, Staci Reay of Thief River Falls and Brett (Becky) Reay and their children, Samuel and Lucinda of Grand Forks, ND; Billy's daughter, Lisa Dicken and her son, Austin; Billy's daughter-in-law, Tammy Dicken and her children, William, Alexandra, Daniel and granddaughter, Brynley; Billy Jr.'s special friend, Kari Iverson and her children, Lainey and Shea all of Thief River Falls; siblings, Dian Wilde, Craig (special friend, Laureen Halvorson) Folkedahl, Deborah (Leon) Hams, Jonathon (Darlene) Folkedahl, Mark (Connie) Folkedahl, Bruce (Connie) Folkedahl; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by husband, William Dicken, son, Scott Reay; Billy's son, William Dicken; parents, Sigurd and Bonnie Folkedahl; sister-in-law, Nancy Folkedahl; grandparents, Orva and Elsie Williams, Hover and Gurina Folkedahl. Memorials are suggested to the Pennington County Humane Society.