John Merritt Eddy's Obituary
John Merritt Eddy, age 96, of Centerville, Iowa, was born on March 6, 1929, to Frank and Edna (Fox) Eddy. He passed away on February 9, 2026.
John's life was defined by his remarkable mechanical skills and innovative spirit. From an early age, he demonstrated a natural talent for building and repairing machinery, especially Diesel engines. Alongside his brother, he built racing cars, driving and maintaining them himself. Over the years, John reconstructed countless trucks for himself and for others, including the Wells family of Cincinnati, Iowa, for the last 26 years of his career. He officially concluded his working years holding a Class A CDL at the impressive age of 93.
On September 3, 1947, John married Carole Large, beginning a loving union that lasted 78 years. They made their home in the house they purchased the year they were married and remained there together throughout his life.
Racing was one of John's great passions. He owned and built some of the earliest sprint and super modified cars. Always ahead of his time, he adapted an aircraft fuel injection system onto a Buick engine long before fuel injection became common in automotive design.
Beyond his work and racing accomplishments, John was known for his love of the outdoors. Each spring, he could be found mushroom hunting, armed with his special mushroom stick and an unmatched ability to find morels. He proudly passed this tradition on to his daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Fishing was another favorite pastime, especially when shared with family.
John and Carole also shared a deep love of camping. They proudly camped at the Iowa State Fair for 59 consecutive years and enjoyed many other camping adventures, including spending winters in Texas. Summers often brought family, friends, and neighbors together for John's beloved pot boils-gatherings that reflected his generous and welcoming nature.
John was widely respected for his honesty, dry wit, sense of humor, problem-solving skills, and extraordinary mechanical ability. As Bill Wells fittingly said, "John Eddy was a legend."
He is survived by his wife, Carole Eddy; his children, Kathleen Van Dale, Linda Ballanger, and Judith (Bill) Topp; his grandchildren, Eli Shetler, Tabbatha (Troy) Hiatt, Rachel Shetler, Candace Potter, Cindy Potter, Justin (Carrie) Ballanger, Amber (Jon) Van Zante, Amanda Ballanger, Lacy (Brett) Nickel, and Jonathen "Jon-O" Mullins; along with multiple great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; his brother, George (Mary) Eddy; his sons-in-law, Mike Mullins and Jack Ballanger; as well as many nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Merritt Eddy and Edna (Fox) Eddy; his brother, James Eddy; his son, Johnny Eddy; his daughter, Susie (Harris) Eddy; and his nephew, Frank Eddy.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM, Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Thomas Funeral Home in Centerville with Pastor Shawn LaRue officiating. Burial will follow the service at Numa Cemetery. Visitation will take place, Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Thomas Funeral Home with the family greeting friends from 10:00AM-11:00AM. Memorials may be made to the family (Carole Eddy or Judith Topp), and may be mailed to Thomas Funeral Home, ATTN: Eddy Family, 501 North 18th Street, Centerville, Iowa 52544. Condolences may be shared online at https://www.thomasfh.com or https://www.facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome .
To view the livestream of John's services, please click the link below or visit: https://my.gather.app/remember/john-eddy-2026
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