Age 87, Lawton - Services will be at 10:00 AM Friday at Centenary United Methodist Church with Rev. William F. Todd, senior pastor officiating. Mrs. Merritt died Tuesday in a local care center. Burial will be in Flower Mound Cemetery under the direction of Becker Funeral Home. She was born October 28, 1921 east of Lawton to E. D. "Ras" and Cora Sullivan. She graduated from Lawton High School in 1939, attended Cameron College, transferred to Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College for two and a half years working on a Vocational degree in Home Economics. She transferred to Oklahoma University in 1942 where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics in 1943. She married Lloyd F. (Buddy) Merritt on July 2, 1943 at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Lawton. He preceded her in death on July 12, 2004. She earned her Masters of Education and Doctor of Education in the field of Adult Education, with emphasis in Child Development and Family Relations, from the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Merritt taught at Flower Mound Elementary School and was circuit music teacher for sixteen rural schools in Comanche County. Dr. Merritt also taught in the Lawton Public School System and Cameron University. Several years before retiring from teaching she was appointed to the rank of Professor at Cameron University. She retired after thirty years of teaching. She has held membership in the America Home Economics Association, Oklahoma Home Economics Association, Oklahoma Education Association and National Education Association. At the time of her death she was a member of the Comanche County Retired Educators Association. Dr. Merritt was a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers Auxiliary for over fifty years and served as a National Officer for ten years. She was a lifetime member of Centenary United Methodist Church and a lifelong resident of the Flower Mound Community southeast of Lawton. Survivors include two daughters and their spouses, Sharon and Jim Thomason, Oklahoma City, and Michele and Holland Mabes, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; two sons and their spouses, LeMonte and Karen Merritt, Lawton, and Edward and Phyllis Merritt, Lawton; a son in law, Bo Bryant, Lawton; Twenty grandchildren and thirty-one great grandchildren; a sister, Mary Ann Graves, Elkhart, Indiana; two sisters in law, Lorene Sullivan, Lawton, and Verna Palmer, Los Altos, California; numerous other relatives, nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years; a daughter, Melonie Bryant; her parents; a sister, Midge Roberts; two brothers, Wendell Sullivan and Elbrege Sullivan and his wife Etta; two brothers in law, Walter Palmer and John Graves; a sister in law, LaVilla and her husband Mike Roehr; a nephew, Richard Roberts and his wife Christine; a great nephew, Chad Sullivan; and a great grandson, Timmy Waddle. Memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund of Centenary United Methodist Church, 704 SW D Avenue, Lawton OK 73501 or to the Flower Mound Cemetery Association in care of Georgia Doye, Secretary, 1908 SE Coombs Road, Lawton OK 73501 or the charity of your choice.