Brittany Merklinger Obituary: The Ephrata community is shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Brittany Merklinger, an active member of the Ephrata Pioneer Fire Company, after she suffered a severe medical emergency. She was only 34 years old.
Brittany had a cardiac arrest at home on January 22, 2025, while battling the flu and complications from asthma. She was taken to Ephrata Community Hospital and placed into ICU, where she has remained on life support. Unfortunately, she lost her strong battle of medical efforts and prayers of loved ones. Now at peace, she leaves behind her husband, Michael Merklinger, and their three young children, ages 13, 10, and 8.
Britany was a valued asset to the Ephrata Pioneer Fire Company Support Team. She always placed others first in service, not only to her fellow comrades but also to the community. She helped build team spirit and assisted with tasks both great and small, from the simplest act of bringing refreshments to emergency call scenes to big community events with the fire company’s famous chicken BBQs. Her caring and giving toward others made her an irreplaceable part of the organization.
Her brightening smile and infectious laughter, her unconquerable kindness, left indelible impressions on all whom she came in contact with. She had this special gift of making everyone feel important, always putting others ahead of herself, making sure that anything she did was well done with love and conviction.
That has left Brittany’s husband, Michael Merklinger, a volunteer fire police officer for the Ephrata Fire Department, with the Herculean task of caring for their children alone while dealing with the financial stress of medical bills. A GoFundMe page, ‘Rally for Brittany: A Family in Need,’ started by Michael Furnier on behalf of the family, has raised over $16,000 of its $20,000 goal to help with medical and funeral costs.
The Ephrata Pioneer Fire Company paid homage, saying “It is with the deepest sorrow that we report the passing of member Brittany Merklinger. Brittany was a cornerstone of our Support Team, always the first to lend a hand and the last to leave. Her passing leaves a void within our hearts that will be felt for a very long time to come.”. In true Brittany fashion, her parting gift to the world was organ donation, honored in an emotional Honor Walk attended by over a hundred family members, friends, and fellow firefighters. Please keep Michael, his children, and the Pioneer family in your thoughts and prayers.
The passing of Brittany is a great loss to the Ephrata community. Her spirit in service, kindness, continues to inspire all that knew and loved her. She leaves behind not only her immediate family but also a large community that will remember and cherish her for years to come for her devotion, warmth, and selflessness.
A memorial service will be announced at a future date to celebrate her life. In the meantime, those wishing to support the Merklinger family at this tragic time can give to the GoFundMe campaign.
Rest in peace, Brittany. Your legacy of love and service shall never be forgotten.
