Services held for Robert E. Merrill, 80

Robert E. Merrill, M.D., 80, of Salado, died January 11, 2006 at his home in Salado. A memo-rial service was held Jan. 14 at St. Frances Episcopal Church in Temple with Rev. Merry R. Wilburn officiating.

Dr. Merril was born in Johnstown, Penn to Erle and Edna Bowers Mer-rill. He married Patricia MacDonald. She preceded him in death in November 2000. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

He served on the Salado Independent School District Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2002. He was Vice-President of the school board for two years, 2000 and 2001. Dr. Merrill was instrumental in getting two school bonds passed while serving on the board: one in 1998 for the intermediate school and one in 2000 for renovations of the schools. He wrote a handbook for school board members and established the Master Teacher Award in Salado I.S.D. He also planted the seed for the Salado Education Foundation.

Dr. Merrill is survived by three daughters, Susan Wallens, of Baltimore, Maryland, Nancy Wilson, of Kansas City, Kansas and Kathleen Jackson, of Looettsville, Virginia; one son, Forrest Merrill, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; one sister, Jane Kraus, of Akron, Ohio, and six grand-children.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Creek Preservation, c/o Salado Historical Society, PO Box 251, Salado, TX 76571; the Pediatric Department of Vanderbilt University, or VistaCare Hospice, 2626 S. 37th St., Temple, TX 76504.

Scanio-Harper Funeral Home, of Temple, was in charge of arrangements.