Merlin "Shorty" Poling

Merlin Duane “Shorty” Poling, age 82, of Loraine, Illinois, went peacefully to join his God, family, and friends in Heaven on March 4, 2022, at 1:15 PM.

He was born on  July 31, 1939, in Quincy, Illinois, the son of Arthur Ray and Velma Webster Poling.  Shorty married the love of his life, Cindy Young, on February 28, 1992.  She survives in Loraine, Illinois.

Shorty was a veteran of the US Army, serving from 1959 to 1962.  He was self-employed as a mechanic and welder and was employed for 18 years at Speedrack, Inc. in Quincy, Illinois.  He loved to ride his Harley Davidson 78 Low Rider and traveled many miles with a lot of his friends. Everyone has called Shorty a Legend in his own time, and he pretty much was…you couldn’t go anywhere and not hear about his “infamous birthday parties” that he would have annually, or what a nice guy Shorty is. Shorty loved people; and he never met a stranger. Once he was your brother, he was your brother for life! Over the years, he built many motorcycles and 16 trikes.  He loved fabricating things and there wasn’t anything Shorty couldn’t make or fix.  He especially loved the time he spent with his family and friends.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by six children:  Melanie (Cliff Selsor) Dunn of Macomb, Illinois, Gale “Hulio” Poling of Camp Point, Illinois, Cindy (Gus Kindhart) Frazier of Clayton, Illinois, Mike (Bonnie) Poling of Mendon, Illinois, Greg Poling of Quincy, Illinois, and Alicia Mitchell of Mendon, Illinois; twelve grandchildren:  Jasmine (Tim) Raines, Tristan (Brandon) Janssen, Trevor (Myka) Frazier, Danyelle (Trevor Conkle) Poling, Brittany, Blake and Ashley Poling, Zachery Larsen, Logan Ehrhardt, Dakota (Katie) Ehrhardt, Chance Ehrhardt, and Peyton Ehrhardt; and 12 great grandchildren.  Also surviving are nephews: Gary (Sandy) Poling, China Grove, North Carolina and Steve (Pam) Poling of Kansas City, Missouri; a brother-in-law, Robert (Lisa) Mitchell of San Antonio, Texas; a sister-in-law, Kathi Carpenter of Hendersonville, North Carolina, and numerous great nieces, nephews and cousins!

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Robert Poling and Virgil Poling, and a nephew David Poling.

Cremation rites have been accorded.

A graveside service, with full military rites, will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 1:30 PM at New Loraine Cemetery, Loraine, Illinois with Reverend Sheri Renner officiating.  The family invites friends and family to celebrate Shorty’s life immediately following the graveside service at Outskirts in Loraine, Illinois.

Friends and family who would like to share stories and leave condolences can do so at triplettfuneralhomes.com.

Triplett Funeral Homes of Mendon oversees arrangements.