CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (KFGO) – A supervisory U.S. Marshal, originally from Ashley, North Dakota, has died of a medical condition in Texas.

45-year-old Deputy Marshal Norman Merkel died inside the fitness room of the federal courthouse in Corpus Christi. Merkel had been with the marshal’s service for 17 years and was assigned to the southern district of Texas.

He was a deputy sheriff in McIntosh County, North Dakota before he went to work for the marshal’s service.

Merkel’s funeral is set for Saturday morning at Zion Lutheran Church in Ashley.