Roy Eugene Merritt

On a warm summer day in June 1928, in a small farmhouse on a dirt road at 4218 South Broadway, Englewood, Colorado, you could hear the cries of a baby boy being born. Roy Eugene Merritt was born on June 10, 1928, to the parents of Ledford Everette Merritt and Pearl Adaline Merritt. Roy was the first of four children. His three sisters, Ellamay, Laverne and Jeanette, have all preceded Roy in death. Roy and his parents lived in the Englewood area for only a few short years. They later moved to 2315 South Bannock, Denver, Colorado, where Roy began his elementary school years at Rosedale Elementary School. Roy was very active in sports and band at Rosedale, and that is where he learned to play the trumpet. As the years passed and two sisters were born into the family, the two-bedroom, one-bath house on South Bannock became too small for a family of five. So, in 1940, Roy’s dad started building a three-bedroom stucco tudor home at 2199 South Logan Street, on the corner of Logan Street and Warren Avenue. Roy would sometimes reflect back to some of his childhood memories and recollect when he and his dad would work together on the new house. Eventually, the Logan house was completed in 1941 which enabled Dad’s family to move into their new home. Two years later, Roy’s youngest sister, Jeanette, was born and the family of six lived at this location for a several years.

As World Ward II came to an end, Roy felt the need to serve his country. So, at seventeen years old, Roy enlisted in the Navy. It was April 15,1946 when Roy was placed into active service at Treasure Island, San Francisco, California. He was then deployed out to sea to protect our country on the USS Mulberry until April 14,1948, when he was honorably discharged from the United States Navy.

When Roy returned from the Navy in 1948, he came back to Colorado to begin his new life in the states. While Roy had been gone serving his country, his dad had started a plastering company in the Denver area which specialized in plastering, stuccoing and ornamental plaster cornice moldings on new homes. Once Roy returned home, he took the opportunity to learn the plastering trade by working for his dad’s company.

Roy, being single at the time, reconnected with a girl that he had known during junior and senior high school. When Roy first met Katherine Kucharski in junior high, he had said to himself, “I’m going to marry that girl someday” … and. Roy and Katherine were married February 19,1950, at St. Joseph Polish Church in Globeville, Colorado. This church, built in 1902, is the oldest National Polish Church in the Western United States. Roy and Katherine started their new life together and lived at Roy’s childhood home at the Logan house along with his parents, Ledford and Pearl.

Because of the outbreak of the Korean War, which began June 25, 1950, Roy was called back to active service on November 15, 1950. Roy packed his bags again and reported back to San Diego, California where he then was deployed on the USS McDermut DD677 for 32 months.

While Roy was at sea, their first-born son, Don, was born April 27, 1951, in Denver, Colorado. It wasn’t until March 11, 1952, that Roy was able to return home on leave, for six days, to meet his son for the first time. Roy returned to San Diego, after their brief time together, back to his ship for the remainder of the Korean War. Roy was Honorably Discharged from the United States Navy on February 18, 1953.

When Roy returned to Denver, his dad, Leford, had already begun building a new home for Roy, Katherine and Don at 2757 South Logan Street, Englewood, Colorado. It was there that Roy and Katherine had their second child Karoleen, who was born May 5, 1955. Their new home was already too small for their growing family of four. So, in 1956, Roy moved his family back to his childhood home on South Logan Street and his parents moved out! Roy and Katherine’s third child David was later born May 6, 1958, while they lived at this house. Roy and Katherine continued to raise their three children at the Logan house until 1969 when they relocated to the southeast Littleton area for a many years. As Roy and Katherine approached their retirement years, they purchased acreage in Elizabeth, Colorado, where they placed a home on their land and lived there very happily into their mid-90s.

In the mid-1960s, Roy’s father decided to retire from his plastering company and Roy took over the business. Roy was very instrumental in building his company by bringing in newer types of construction. Roy began bidding commercial jobs that included lath, plaster, stucco, drywall and painting. His company grew in size to the point where he was doing the work for General Contractors on churches, schools, hospitals, apartment complexes and almost every Taco Bell in Denver! In the early 1990s, Roy phased out his business one building at a time until it was all over. Roy then decided to help his wife, Katherine, with her house cleaning business until they both retired in their mid-80s.

Roy was a loving and devoted father who always made time for his family despite his demanding career. Roy enjoyed spending weekends with his family camping at Lake Granby where you would often see him either water skiing or fishing on the lake. Roy and his wife, Katherine, also loved to ride their ATVs along the trails in the Colorado mountains. Roy really loved to bowl! In fact, once while he was bowling in a league, he almost bowled a perfect 300 game! His final score of 299 was because the last pin refused to fall!

Roy Eugene Merritt passed away peacefully after a short illness on January 21, 2025, at the age of 96 in Pueblo, Colorado. Roy’s wife of 72 years, Katherine, preceded him in death at the age of 93.

Roy is survived by his three children, Don, his wife Karla, Karoleen, her husband Joe, David, and his wife Sue. Grandchildren: Doug, Dan, Shawn, Todd, Kellee, Dillon, Leanna, and Katrina. Great-grandchildren: Heidi, Kaya, Doris, Caroline, Tyler, Noah, Sierra, Dehlyla, Mystin and Breanna. Great-great-grandchildren: Ezera and Stella. Numerous nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Roy will be deeply missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing him.