Dorothy C. Merritt

Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 9, 1932, Dorothy graduated St. Petersburg High School with honors. She then attended Stephens College for Women in Columbia, Missouri. Moving to Missouri was a grand adventure for this native Floridian, full of excitement, including the first time she ever experienced snow, and it ignited in her a life-long interest in travel.

At the completion of her studies at Stephens College, she returned to the University of Florida where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1954.

After graduation, she returned to St. Petersburg where she was granted the opportunity of a lifetime when Eastern Airlines came to town to recruit flight attendants. This was just the ticket to grant her wish to travel and see the world.

Her years as a flight attendant, based out of New York and then Miami, was a happy time for Dorothy. She enjoyed the sophistication and excitement of big-city life and made many life-long friendships.

In 1959, while based in Miami, she met a young Air Force pilot on a blind-date, and six months later, she married Doss Merritt.

She then began the next chapter of her life as an Air Force wife, following her husband to assignments in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, where their children were born, Tallahassee, Florida, Frankfurt, Germany, San Antonio and San Angelo, Texas and Layton, Utah.

Upon her husband’s passing in 1979, Dorothy returned to San Antonio, where, in keeping with her love for travel, she began a second career as a travel agent. She loved meeting new people and the satisfaction of helping others plan their dream vacations. She also took full advantage of the travel opportunities the job afforded, traveling extensively throughout the US, Caribbean, and Europe.

Her other passions were singing and reading. She was a long-time member of the Coker Methodist Church choir and especially loved participating in their holiday performances. She was also an avid library member, volunteering for the Thousand Oaks library when she was able.

In her later years she became a member of the Sodalis Assisted Living Community where she resided from 2017 until her passing. Dorothy made many friends with the residents and staff, where she was known for her humor and colorful stories.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dossey C. Merritt, and is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Merritt Swanepoel, son, Douglas Merritt and niece, Katherine Carson Wells.

The Visitation will be at 8:00am, Monday, November 23, 2020, with the Funeral Service to follow at 9:00am at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. The internment will follow at the Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery at 10:00am.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:

Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) and Friends of Hospice San Antonio (friendsofhospicesa.org)