Patricia “Patty” Merkel went to be with the lord on January 15, 2022.Patty was the daughter of Leonard Valeo, Sr. and Rita (Macnamara) Valeo. She was born in Rosyln, NY on October 31, 1947. She was one of the first children born in the Levittown Project on Long Island, New York, and later moved to various Levittown construction projects. She was the loving wife of Howard Merkel. They were married on March 3, 1973. She was one of the founders of the Tom Thumb Nursery in Bowie, Md. Patty was an excellent homemaker and longtime church volunteer. Patty was a mother to many and enjoyed flower arranging, planting trees and gardening. She was a member of the Church of the Open Door in Shiloh, PA. Patty was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Leonard Valeo, Jr. and Anthony Valeo. She is survived by her husband Howard Merkel of 48 years and her son Jonathan and his wife Kristy. Visitation for Relatives and friends will be from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 21st, at Hartenstein Funeral & Cremation Care, Inc.; 19 S. Main St., Stewartstown, PA with a funeral service starting at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in Zion United Methodist Cemetery. Patty was a patriotic American and requests that in lieu of flowers, people donate to President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign.Further information can be found at: Save America P.O. Box 13570, Arlington, VA 22219.