03/23/07 — R. WAYLAND MERRITT SR.

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R. WAYLAND MERRITT SR.

R. WAYLAND MERRITT SR.

March 19, 1923-March 21, 2007

DUDLEY -- Robert Wayland Merritt Sr., age 84, died Wednesday at Wayne Memorial Hospital. Born in Wayne County and spending most of his life in Wayne County, he was the son of the late Robert Kemp Merritt and Clara Mae Simmons Merritt. He attended N.C. State University and served in the Army/Air Corps from 1944 to 1946. He was employed with Greyhound Bus Lines for 32 years, retiring in 1983. After his retirement he drove for nine more years with Per-Flo Tours of Goldsboro. A member of Providence United Methodist Church, he was a member of the Samaritan Sunday School Class and Providence Friends United. During his retirement he was also an active member of the Golden "K" Kiwanis Club of Goldsboro.

A celebration of his life will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Shumate-Faulk Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr. Jerry A. Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in Wayne Memorial Park.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lois Harrell Merritt; a son, Robert Wayland Merritt Jr. and wife, Martha, of Dudley; a daughter, Laveita Merritt Brinson and husband, Ben, of Louisburg; a daughter-in-law and son-in-law, Beverly and Tim Clifton of Turkey; a sister, Frances Merritt Taylor of Dudley; grandchildren, Geoffrey Wayland Merritt and wife, Jennifer, of Mount Olive; David Kemp Merritt and wife, Amanda, of Calypso, Jennings Kemp Brinson and wife, Melissa, of Winter Haven, Fla., and Adam Thomas Brinson of Chapel Hill; great-grandchildren, Hunter Ricks Merritt, Cara Suzanne Brinson and Alexander Emmanuel Sarantos; nephews, Eugene Russ Taylor, Mel Eugene Beam and Brian Lyn Beam; nieces, Myra Taylor Markham and Judy Beam Cox.

Family members will greet friends Saturday immediately following the funeral service at Shumate-Faulk Funeral Home and at other times at the home.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Providence United Methodist Church, 202 Providence Church Road, Goldsboro, N.C. 27530.

Online condolences may be sent through www.shumate-faulk.com.

(Written & Paid by the Family)

Published in Obituaries on March 23, 2007 2:02 PM