Shirley Merriam

Shirley Merriam, 88, of Owensboro passed away Friday, June 17th in the care of Hospice of Western Kentucky following a brief illness. Born in Worcester, MA, the daughter of the late George H. and Signe Carlson Braman, Jr., she was a graduate of Southbridge High School, received a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master's degree in Education from the University of Connecticut at Storrs. During World War II, as a high school student, she attended classes in the mornings, taught elementary classes in the afternoon, and rolled bandages for the war effort in the evening. She joined General Electric in Pittsfield, MA as a calculator for engineers, where she met her husband Bob. Following their marriage, they moved to Syracuse, NY where they served on the steering committee and as charter members of Northminster Presbyterian Church. After moving to Owensboro, Shirley became and remained an active member of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church where she was involved in everything but singing in the choir. That involvement included Sunday school teaching, the United Methodist Women, the Roadrunners, Stephen Ministry, the Bible Diggers Sunday school class, the Emmaus program, a time as the church bookkeeper, and serving wherever she might be needed. She was a devoted student of the scriptures. Shirley was closely affiliated with, and later a member of the Owensboro Lions Club where she was responsible for the administration of the Lions eye glass program, dispensing more than 150,000 glasses. Over the years she, with Bob, made countless trips to third world countries where they fitted glasses for those less fortunate. She was committed to working with Dismas Charities and jail ministries and was a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution. Shirley had taught business and computer science at Brescia University. She was a sports fan, supporting the Boston Red Sox and Kentucky Wesleyan basketball, and was an avid bridge and cribbage player. Active throughout her life, she had summer vacations planned for Yellowstone National Park and Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. Everything she did had love behind it.

Her survivors include her children, Susan Merriam of Worcester, MA, Hart Merriam and his wife Susan of Raleigh, NC, and Russ Merriam and his wife Lisa of Lake Charles, LA; her grandchildren, Eric Merriam, Anthony Merriam, Daniel Merriam, Nick Merriam, and Lucas Merriam; her great-granddaughters Allison Silva and Bridget Rose Merriam; and a number of cousins in Worcester, MA.

The service for Mrs. Merriam will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church where visitation will be at 10 a.m. Ennichement will be in Christ Chapel Mausoleum at Owensboro Memorial Gardens. Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Owensboro Lions Club Sight Conservation Program c/o Alexander & Company, 2707 Breckenridge Street, Owensboro, KY 42303 or Women's Residents Encounter Christ (REC), P.O. Box 1386, Owensboro, KY 42302.

Messages of condolence may be extended to the Merriam family at www.glennfuneralhome.com.