By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

RUSSELL -- Retirement is not an option for Dr. Earl Merkel.

He's been practicing medicine here for 50 years and he has no intentions of stopping anytime soon, much to the delight of many of his longtime patients.

"He said he wouldn't just walk away from his patients," said Mildred Hlad, Sylvan Grove. "We don't want him to quit."

Merkel said he's never woken up in the morning not wanting to go to work.

"I'd rather go to work than play golf. I'd rather go to work than play tennis," he said. "Work, for me, is a passion."

That passion has many saved lives, including David Mai's -- three times.

Mai, a Russell resident, has been one of Merkel's patients since day one, and Merkel has worked through most of his heart problems with him, but not all.

"He's dependable unless KU's playing basketball," Mai said jokingly. "Every time I had this spell, Merkel was at a basketball game."

But Merkel's reliability is what Richard Kraus, Russell, remembers most about him. Kraus has been a patient since he and his wife married in 1962.

"You can call him up in the middle of the night and he'll tell you to stop taking that medicine and to get started on another one," Kraus said.

Merkel delivered all the Kraus' children and most of their grandchildren. Kraus' wife, Rita, also worked with Merkel before retiring last year.

"He's just down-to-earth," Kraus said. "He always knows you, it doesn't matter where you're at."

Ed and Mildred Hlad have doctored with Merkel for most of his 50 years. Ed Hlad said he has enjoyed the personal care Merkel provides, and likes being able to talk to someone who understands his passions, farming and flying.

"He takes time to not only explain things in a way a patient can understand, but he also takes time to visit with his patients and get to know them on a personal basis," Mildred Hlad said.

Merkel has practiced in Russell since July 1958 following a residency in Wichita. He completed his undergraduate work at Fort Hays State University and his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

He hosted a reception Sunday, which happened to coincide with his birthday, to celebrate his 50 years of service to the community.

"Fifty years went by so fast," he said. "Since I've been here I've had a lot of help from different people, and (they) have been very nice to me, so it's sort of a way to say thank you to people for taking me in and making me a part of the town."

Merkel said he had a few surprises among the hundreds of people attending, including visits from the dean of the KU School of Medicine and Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.

According to Merkel, "the love of people and the love of practicing medicine" will keep him going just as long as possible.

"He said 'as long as I can write out a prescription, I'm going to keep doctoring,'" Kraus said.