Ankeny is mourning a former mayor who died at the age of 85.
Merle Ollie Johnson led Ankeny from 1998 to 2005. He died Sept. 29.
Johnson will be recognized for his service at the Monday, Oct. 6 City Council meeting, according to a news release from the city.
“He cared deeply about this community and the people who call it home. We are grateful for his years of service and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” Mayor Bobbi Bentz said in the release.
Johnson was mayor during a major period of growth in the city. Ankeny’s population grew from 27,117 in the 2000 U.S. Census to 36,161 in a 2005 special census, according to the release.
The city’s current population has reached 76,200, according to a special census released this year.
One of the major achievements during Johnson’s time as mayor was the acquisition in 2003 of 1,000 acres of former Iowa State University research land that went on to become the Prairie Trail mixed-use neighborhood, according to the release. The city sold the land to a developer in 2005.
Funeral services for former Ankeny Mayor Merle Johnson
A partial obituary online did not yet have information about Johnson or his family as of Thursday, Oct. 2. But it asked for memorials in Johnson’s name to be directed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa at 2130 Grand Ave. in Des Moines.
His visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 at Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 W. First St. Johnson’s funeral will be from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at the funeral home.
After the funeral, there will be a service from noon to 12:15 p.m. at Ankeny Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 4208 N. Ankeny Blvd.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Former Ankeny mayor who bought land that would become Prairie Trail has died
Reporting by Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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