Cathryne Merrill's Obituary
Catheryne Aleane Merrill passed away at HealthPark Care and Rehabilitation Center on July 18, 2010. She was 85 years old. Best known as Kitty to both her friends and family, she was born in Pineville, Louisiana on September 22, 1924. After a celebrated career as a high school basketball star, Kitty became a telephone operator. She met and later married the love of her life at Camp Claiborne, LA. Due to the events of World War II, the relationship of Kitty and Lt. Elwin Merrill, US Army, had to be a long distance letter writing event until their marriage on January 08, 1946. Elwin retired as a Major from the US Army Combat Engineers in 1962.Kitty became an army wife with two children and followed her husband around the world. With four years in Japan and two tours of three years each in Germany, her life was filled with challenges and adventures that few could imagine. Kitty occupied her “spare” time as a hospital volunteer, Cub Scout Den Mother and Girl Scout Leader. Kitty was a avid Bowler with a near professional standing until a back injury curtailed any further bowling. Between the overseas stations Kitty and family lived in Utah, Virginia, Florida, California, Kansas and retiring in Denver, Colorado in 1963.After Kitty and Elwin’s two children left home the wander lust attached. With an Airstream trailer they traveled several hundred thousand miles across the US and Canada. In the process they discovered Fort Myers, Florida and became “Snow Birds”. In 1978 they sold their home in Denver and moved to Fort Myers Beach, purchasing a Bungalow on a canal.The Merrill’s established Merrill’s Carefree Awnings of Fort Myers Beach and sold and serviced Awnings and accessories for travel trailers. Kitty became the office manager, dispatcher and sales clerk while Merrill, as her husband liked to be called, took care of the field work. They retired and closed the business in 2003. Both of the Merrill children moved to Fort Myers and began careers in nursing and law enforcement.Kitty is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Elwin Merrill, two surviving sisters, Bernice Salley and Margaret Martin. Two children, Barry Reed Merrill (wife Ramona) of Cape Coral, FL and Rebecca (Becky) Rae Watt (Merrill) of Fort Myers, FL. Kitty has ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.Kitty Merrill: Daughter, Sister, wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and above all Friend. We love you, we miss you, until we meet in the future, God Speed.A memorial service will be held at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens, 1589 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, FL on July 22, 2010 at 2:00 PM.
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