Merle was the man who organized and set up SKYWARN SPOTTER system after the Palm Sunday Tornados hit Toledo.
Toledo meteorologist Merle Kachenmeister died peacefully in his sleep Tuesday, according to his family. He was 82.
A longtime resident of Blissfield, MI, he was in the care of Hospice of Northwest Ohio when he passed. His family told us he had open heart surgery in July 2011 and had a hard time recovering from it, although he did try his hardest to get back to health.
He worked for WTOL from 1988 to 1995. All of us here at the news station were very saddened to hear of his passing and will always hold Merle fondly in our hearts.
We'll have more information coming soon on Merle's career and funeral services.