Margaret Merritt

Memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 4, at the Pinon Church of Christ for Margaret E. Merritt of Pinon, N.M.

Mrs. Merritt died Friday, July 27, 2018 in Lubbock, Texas.

Sonny Guild will officiate at the services.

Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 3, at Terpening & Son Mortuary.

After 5 1/2 months on Hospice care, MAMA, Margaret Elizabeth Louise Cullender Merritt, passed over to see her twin girls and Husband. Mama has been a widow for 23 years. Jeff her grandson who is the local medical doctor in the family, coordinated her medical care. Ann and Dub nurtured and honored Mother every day she lived in their home.

She was born in Roswell, April 22,1922 which later in her life was designated as Earth Day. The irony in that designation was that Margaret was a STEWARD of the land long before it was popular. As children on a ranch with a well that pumped a gallon a minute, we never wasted water, resources, or time. Wash (laundry) water was used sparingly, whites first, ending with the most soiled blue jeans for the last load because they were already stained. The "soupy soapy" water was then poured over the grass and trees close to the house or in the garden if one was in season. Aluminum foil was saved and ironed to use again. Glass canning jars were used year after year. When electricity came to the ranch, a freezer was purchased and heavy-duty plastic freezer bags were used multiple times as well.

Education was THE goal for her children following their dedication to Christ. Hilton, Jane and Ann began school in the Pinon "one room" school. When it closed, Mama and kids moved to Hope to continue their education. "Moving to Hope" meant renting a house in Hope where the family stayed Monday through Friday. At 4 PM Friday the Merritt group climbed into the car and drove back to the ranch for 2 hard days of work to make up for being gone. Sunday services in Pinon were never missed, the family returned home from church to finish the chores. At 4AM on Monday, the traveling part of the family repeated the trip to Hope to attend school. Then Hope School closed.... Mama and Daddy purchased a house in Artesia for the family to live in during the week. Mama got a job working in the Artesia School cafeterias because they had the same hours and days as her children. Daddy said if Artesia closed their school, we kids were just out of luck!! The night Leah graduated from High School, the house was sold and Mama returned to the ranch to live. We figure Mama drove one million miles educating all 4children. The children accumulated four PhDs, One MD, One DO, a lawyer, an engineer, multiple Master degrees, bankers, computer nerds, teachers of every level of education, administrators and other degrees. Mama saw her goal realized.

Friday, July 27, 2018 she woke up, chose her clothing for the day, color-coordinated with her white blingy hat that matched the buttons on her sweater, sipped some breakfast broth at the dining table with the family, requested to be helped into her recliner, She napped till noon, awoke when the grands came to talk with her. She recognized Hilton and Avanell who arrived from Houston. Lunch was a few sips of broth, then she told Leah she preferred homemade bread and butter to the thin, salty broth.

Margaret is survived by Hilton and wife Avanell and his girls, Leila and husband Charles Sewell, Keri and husband Scott Gardner, and Rebecca and husband Brad Jay; Jane and husband Jimmy Murray and children Jamey, Jodie and husband Paul Burns, and Jon and wife Samantha; Ann and husband Dub Hannel and Sarah and husband James Nichols ,Jeff and wife Lorena, Joe and wife Roxanne, and Amy and husband Jerrid Sanders ;Leah and husband Larry Williams and Lucas and wife Caria and Lee and wife Rebecca. Margaret had 26 great grandchildren. Mama passed with a room full of her family singing her into heaven where we hope heaven has had rain to make the grass green, a few chickens to tend and lots and lots of homemade bread for Mama to enjoy. Mama entered heaven with sweet Alex's, 7 1/21 think, "I love you GiGili" ringing in her ears.

In lieu of flowers Margaret will be honored if contributions could be sent to New Mexico Children's Home, 1356 NM 236 Portales, NM 88130, for care of children or for the single mother program where young women educate themselves in order to provide for their children.

Visitation

Terpening Son Mortuary
611 W. Grand Ave.
Artesia, NM  88210
Friday, August 3, 2018
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Service

Memorial Service

Pinon Church of Christ
Pinon, NM  88344
Saturday, August 4, 2018
11:00 a.m.

Memorial Contributions

New Mexico Children's Home
1356 NM 236
Portales, NM  88130