Mabel Lucille Lewis Merritt Services for Mabel Lucille Lewis Merritt will be held Thursday, October 30, 2014, at First Christian Church (DOC) at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Lea McCracken officiating, and Reverend Dr. Cameron Douglas assisting. Visitation will be held prior to the service at the church from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00a.m. Burial will be at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian following the service. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Merritt, 95, of Meridian, died Tuesday, October 28th, 2014, at Poplar Springs Nursing Center of Meridian. She was a lifelong member of First Christian Church (DOC) of Meridian and upon her death was the longest living baptized member. Mabel loved her church as evidenced by the fact that she served as a deaconess, was a charter member of the Bethany Sunday School class, sponsored the youth for twelve years, served as circle chairman for twenty-six years and as chairman of the Church's popular Kentucky Ham Meal for twenty years. In their later years, she and her husband, Carl, continued to work at the KHM by selling tickets and ham hocks at the door. Many visitors to the church remember her work in the narthex where for thirty years she served as a greeter and assisted the ushers. In 2000, she and Carl purchased the old Teen Learning Center adjacent to the church and donated it for use as a church parlor and for offices. Today it is lovingly known as the Merritt House. Mabel grew up in an environment of love and service to the City of Meridian, understandably so as her father, Mr. W. E. Lewis, was a city policeman. She and her husband served on the Meridian Little Theater's Board of Directors, and she was a charter member of the M.L. T.'s Guild Board. For twenty years, they were active in the Meridian Symphony League where they served on the Board of Directors. In addition, they were Navy Leaguers, members of the Founders Circle for the Grand Opera House, members of the Meridian Museum of Art, and members of the Utopian Dinner Dance Club. Other service commitments included membership and leadership positions in the Round Table Literary Club and Merrehope, various garden clubs including serving as president of the Meridian Council of Garden Clubs and the Homemakers' Garden Club. She was a president of the Silver Cross Circle of King's Daughters and Sons and worked beside her husband Carl, a member of the Hamasa Temple Patrol Unit. As a member of the Meridian Community College Foundation, she endowed the S. Carl Merritt Scholarship , and as a result, has helped send many young men and women through college. In her later years, Mabel continued to stay active by participating in water aerobics classes at MCC. While their lives included service to the community , she and Carl took the time to enjoy each other and the world. The "travel bug" hit them while Carl served in the army. During that time they lived in six states. After they moved back to Meridian, they continued to travel extensively and their journeys covered every state in the US, several countries in Europe, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Cuba, and the Holy Land. Together they enjoyed more than 32 cruises including one to the Mediterranean. Survivors include her great nieces Lisa Randall (Jerome) Kittrell, Robin Randall Hall, a great nephew, David (Penney) Randall; great-great nieces Elizabeth Hall, Anne Marie Hall Stanton, Laura Kittrell, and Olivia Randall; great-great nephews Nathan Kittrell and David Randall. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Lewis; her beloved husband of 73 years, S. Carl Merritt; her brother Charles Lewis; her sister, Marie "Ree" Owen Harrington; and a special niece, Peggy Randall. Special thanks are extended to the staff of the Specialty Hospital of Meridian, Aldersgate Personal Care Unit, Poplar Springs Nursing Center, and Covenant Palliative and Hospice, LLC. Pallbearers will be the Elders of First Christian Church and special friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Christian Church (DOC) building fund and to the S.Carl Merritt Scholarship through the Meridian Community College Foundation. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com.
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