Merl was born on June 27, 1920 in Dothan (Newton county), Alabama, daughter of the late Otho Otis and Willie Merritt Bond.
Merl was known for her ever present smile and hospitality. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. To family and close friends, she was better known as Ma because it was her nature to care for and mother everyone. She had a way of making everyone feel comfortable and right at home.
Most notable was her love for Jehovah God. In 1946 she studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and from that moment on was eager to share what she learned with everyone she knew. That love of Jehovah paired with her love of people motivated her to spend much of her time in the full-time ministry. This gave her great satisfaction as she helped many others to come to know and love her God Jehovah.
She is survived by her two daughters Sylvia Mann (Jon) and Merlynn Jacobs, daughter’s in-law Pearl Jacobs (Jerry), former daughter-in-law, Elaine Jacobs, brother Robert Bond (Ann), sixteen grandchildren, twenty-nine great grandchildren, nine great- great grandchildren and two great- great- great grandchildren along with many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by: her husband of 62 years Ed Jacobs, son Jerry Jacobs, her siblings: Otis “Jabbo” Bond Jr. (Mary); Ernest “Short” Bond (Margie); Ruth Ellen Collins (Noble-Swift); John Bond (Kathleen); Ted Bond (Sara).
Memorial Service arrangements for the remembrance of Merl’s life will be held on Zoom on a date yet to be determined.
Merl’s burial will be conducted at Lakeview Memorial Gardens on February 12, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. and may be viewed on the Striffler-Hamby Facebook page as a live stream. Due to health precautions No in person attendance has requested by the family.
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