PAMALA SOWERS MERRELL
March 14, 1952- August 29, 2024
Pamala, always insistent that you spell it correctly, died unexpectedly in her sleep of natural causes.
Born to Orville and Esther Sowers in Brawley, California, the family moved to Lodi when Pam was young. She attended Woodridge Elementary School and graduated Lodi High School in 1970.
Pam declined an airline flight attendant job to raise her daughter, Stacey. Pam worked numerous jobs in the fruit packing sheds, Foster’s Freeze and Delta Sportswear before starting a job at General Mills in 1975. That job turned into a 35-year career.
Pam hated a mess. Her house was always put together, furniture dusted, beds made kitchen polished, counters clear and the floors clean. However, open a drawer or closet and things would spill out; her filing system consisted of multiple miscellaneous folders.
Pam liked to travel; her first international adventure was to France for her 40th birthday. She was trying to follow the map. It turned out she was holding it upside down. In frustration, she threw the map in the back seat. Her friend said map is pam spelled backward. A navigator she was not, but she was an excellent driver. She and her husband, Steve, traveled the Bahamas, Pacific islands, the Caribbean and the United States.
Pam was a sportswoman, riding bikes, golfing, skiing, and even had her nose broken while playing on a softball team.
Pam was a good person, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, etc.
She will join her father Orville and brother Bud in heaven.
Many are left who will miss her physical presence: husband Steve Merrell, mother Esther Sowers, daughter Stacey McGuire (Branden Fries ) sisters Valerie (Bob Weeks) and Robin (Greg Buonocore) as well as nieces, cousins and friends.
A viewing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday September 5 in the Merlot Room at Cherokee Memorial Park 14165 N. Beckman Rd, Lodi.
Burial will be at a later date.
Please leave your condolences below.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Merrill family.