Edward Steve Merritt, 66
The son of the late Ernest and Cleo Merritt, he was preceded in death by brothers, Everett, Benny, James and Winfred; sisters, Verna Riddle and Mildred Caldwell.
He survived by son, Andy Merritt; daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Ken Zommer, all of Chicago; brothers and sisters-in-law, Floyd and Betty of Tullahoma, Dewey and Mary of Greensboro, N.C.; sisters and brothers-in-law, Cathleen and Robert Kilgore, and Nancy LoRance, all of McMinnville; sisters-in-law, Margaret Merritt of McMinnville and Gela Merritt of Tullahoma; special friend, Barbara Oliver of Lafayette; and a host of nieces and nephews.
After growing up in Tullahoma from where he graduated high school in 1957, he worked as an iron worker in Chicago, working on many skyscrapers over a 30-year period. He was a member of Iron Workers No. 1 and was a member of the Church of Christ. He was known as the “Puzzle Man,” having thousands of mechanical puzzles. He attended the International Puzzle Convention in different countries of the world and appeared on television in Chicago explaining the history of mechanical puzzles and demonstrating rare puzzles.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at High Funeral Home with Floyd Merritt officiating. Burial will follow at Concord Cemetery at Hickerson Station in Coffee County. Visitation will be held from noon until time of service Tuesday at High’s.
High Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) June 12, 2005