Grand Traverse County MI Archives Photo Tombstone.....Merriam, Glen & Martina ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Harold & Linda Saffron lindaj50@charter.net July 7, 2007, 6:19 pm Cemetery: Linwood Cemetery Name: Glen & Martina Merriam Date Of Photograph: July 3, 2007 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/grandtraverse/photos/tombstones/linwood/merriam107117gph.jpg Image file size: 58.9 Kb Glen Merriam Martina Merriam -------------------------------------- Michigan Deaths, 1971-1996 Name: Glen F Merriam Birth Date: 25 Jun 1902 Death Date: 2 Jun 1984 Gender: Male Residence: Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan Place of Death: Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan ------------------------------- Social Security Death Index Name: Glen Merriam SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX Last Residence: 49017 Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States of America Born: 25 Jun 1902 Last Benefit: 49017 Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States of America Died: Jun 1984 State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan (Before 1951 ) ---------------------------------------- Michigan Deaths, 1971-1996 Name: Martina T Merriam Birth Date: 30 Sep 1899 Death Date: 11 Jan 1987 Gender: Female Residence: Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan Place of Death: Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan ----------------------------------------- Social Security Death Index Name: Martina Merriam SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX Last Residence: 49017 Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States of America Born: 30 Sep 1899 Died: Jan 1987 State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan (1951 ) ------------------------------------------ You have saved this record to My Ancestry (Shoebox). You have saved this record to My Ancestry (People I'm Looking For). This record has been added to your shoebox. 1930 United States Federal Census Name: Martina Merriam Home in 1930: Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan Age: 30 Estimated birth year: abt 1900 Relation to Head of House: Wife Spouse's name: Glenn Glenn Merriam 35 Martina Merriam 30 George Merriam 2 ---------------------------------------- George A. Merriam Battle Creek ---- Passed Away: 09/15/03 Publication Date: 09/18/03 Mr. George A. Merriam, 75, of Battle Creek, died unexpectedly Monday, September 15, 2003 at the Battle Creek Health System. He was born April 30, 1928 in Battle Creek, MI the son of Glen F. and Martina T. (Rosskopf) Merriam. He served in the U.S. Marines Corps. during World War II as a Private. He enlisted on June 18, 1946 at Battle Creek and was discharged on May 9, 1947 at Cherry Point, NC. George retired after 36 years of service with telephone companies. He retired from Michigan Bell and worked for 25 years for the phone company based in Williamsburg, Virginia. Beginning when he enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps as an 18-year old just out of Battle Creek Central, George Merriam was devoted to volunteerism and public service. Service to others was a trait that would follow him and eventually, his wife throughout the next 57 years, from his birthplace and back again. Even as a young Marine, his choice of service was indicative of his priorities, serving with the military forestry service. It was during that time that he also cared for the Bear cub that would become the National Forestry Services Smokey the Bear. Once he mustered out of the service, Merriam moved to Williamsburg, VA., where he began a 36 year career with the telephone company. And it was in Williamsburg that he married his wife of fifty years, Esther Larson. While in Williamsburg, Merriam was a volunteer with the Fire Department. And in later years, he was an active member of the departments Old Timers club. By the time George and Esther moved to Winchester, VA., in 1957, they had two children: Betty Ann and Frank Walter. George continued his public service work by volunteering in the Winchester Fire Department. He was also a charter/founding member of the Winchester Rescue Squad. A third child, Martressa Jo, was born in 1959 and not long after that, the family moved to the suburb of Washington, D. C. Herndon, Virginia, found George once again on the local fire department. But it was also in Herndon that he and Esther became more jointly involved in volunteer work. Between Boy Scouts, Jaycees, organizations like the American Heart Association, not to mention church and the PTA; the young Merriam couple was very visible throughout the Herndon community. He was the founder of the Herndon Jaycees and its Charter first year President. The late 1960s took George and family to Richmond, VA.; where he and his wife were very involved in the resurgence of the Republican Party in the state that had long been Democratic. They were both still involved in the Jaycees at the time and once they reached the age limit for membership George and Esther both received Lifetime memberships in recognition of their service. By 1973, George and Esther decided that after nearly thirty years in Virginia, that it was time to return to Michigan to be closer to his immediate family. For a short period of time, the constraints of living in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, not to mention getting the last two teenagers out of the house, put a curb on the Merriam volunteer work. Nonetheless, that energy was redirected to their younger daughters swimming competition and more than a few weekends were spent all across the state even the Great Lakes taking Martressa to swim meets during her Dearborn High School years. In 1984, with all the kids on their own, the passing of Georges father eventually brought him and Esther back to Battle Creek so that they could look after his mother. For three years, they lived in the house that his father built from the ground up in the area of Battle Creek called Urbandale. But after Georges mothers death in 1987, he and Esther kept a long-time commitment to retire to Williamsburg. While there, George and Esther reconnected with their volunteer Fire Department roots. George also was honored for his work as a volunteer guide at the Jamestown National Historic Site. It only took a few years, however, for both of them to realize that they not only missed all of their children (who where living in Michigan) but they also missed Battle Creek. By 1990, George and Esther were again living in Battle Creek, and only a short distance from the downtown. For the next fifteen years, the two of them were inseparable when it came to their involvement in the Christ United Methodist Church and Republican Party activities. George was an active member for 3 yrs. of the Transformation Team at Christ United Methodist. He also could be found working in the churchs kitchen early Sunday mornings and performing in the bell choir at Christmas; while Esther was involved in organizational and fund raising efforts at the church. In 2002, after so many years of service to the Calhoun County Republican Party, and have won the annual leadership award, themselves, the award was renamed The Merriam Award. Although individual recognition was not high on Georges list of priorities; one of his proudest accomplishments came as a result of his political endeavors. In the 1996 Presidential Campaign, he was elected to be a member of the Electoral College in the event that the Republican candidate: Bob Dole had prevailed. For the last 10 years or so, George was thoroughly devoted to the local television known as AccessVision practically working full time as a videographer, editor and producer. George was a member of (ULABA) Urbandale Level Park Business Association where he was President during the 1990s. From chairing and being the 2002 Grand Marshall of the annual Urbandale parade, to volunteering at Binder Park Zoo; George and Esther Merriam spent a lifetime giving back to their community. Born and raised in Battle Creek, George graduated from Battle Creek Central High School. His father, Glen F. Merriam, was the first civilian employee at the Federal Center, now known as the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center. His Mother Martina R. Merriam, was nurse at the Battle Creek Sanatorium. Georges younger sister is married and living in Traverse City. He married the former Esther F. Larson on November 16, 1953 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. . He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife: Esther F. Merriam, Battle Creek; loving Father of two daughters - Betty A. & Mark Laszyca, Chelsea, MI; Martressa J. 'Marti' and Jerry Downing, Sturgis, MI; one son - Frank W. & Jackie Merriam, Richland, MI; a beloved brother to Helen I. & Tony Buday, Traverse City; Devoted Grandfather of : Lauren Jarvis, Ryan Jarvis, Lacey Tatum Merriam, Andrea Laszyca, Krysta Laszyca, Tyler Downing, Marissa Downing. He was preceded in death by his parents and his granddaughter Angela Gentry (1985). George was a 1946 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School. He attended Wayne State in the evenings for 2 years for an associate degree in Business Management. He also attended a year studying Forestry at Michigan State University. He was born and raised in Battle Creek however lived after the service in Williamsburg, Virginia and from 1973-1985 in Dearborn, MI. They finally made their home after 1990 in Battle Creek. Visitation will be held at Bachman Hebble Funeral Service where the family will be present Wednesday from 5-8pm and Thursday from 3-6pm. Funeral services will be held Friday, 10:30 A.M. in the Bachman Funeral Chapel with Pastor Bruce Kintigh officiating. Burial with Military Committal Honors will follow at the Fort Custer National Cemetery. Memorial tributes may be made to Christ United Methodist Church or Battle Creek Community Foundation - Access Vision Endowment Fund. Arrangements by the Bachman Hebble Funeral Service, a member by invitation Selected Independent Funeral Homes. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/grandtraverse/photos/tombstones/linwood/merriam107117gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 10.3 Kb