Wilbur Goodyear Merritt

Wilbur G. Merritt, 87, of Jacksonville, Florida passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2014. He was born in Gates, North Carolina on October 13, 1926 to Ben and Ethel Merritt and grew up the son of a Methodist minister. He was a proud Navy veteran and a radio operator on the destroyer USS Dennis J. Buckley in WWII before being honorably discharged in 1948. He graduated with honors with a civil engineering degree from NC State in 1951 and married Virginia Christenbury, his beloved sweetheart, on December 20 of that year. He went to work with the Seaboard Railroad after graduating from college and retired from CSX Corporation in Jacksonville, FL after 38 years. He and Virginia moved to Jacksonville in 1983 and they were members of St. Paul Methodist Church in Jacksonville and of the BYKOTA Sunday school class for 31 years. He loved to play golf and loved to follow the Georgia Bulldogs and the NC State football programs.

He was preceded in death by his devoted wife of almost 59 years, Virginia.

He is survived by his son, Bob Merritt of Winston-Salem, NC and his two grandchildren, Courtney Merritt of Washington, DC and Jason Merritt of New York, NY.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at St. Paul Methodist Church at 8264 Lone Star Rd. in Jacksonville at 11:00AM on Saturday, March 29, 2014 with Reverend Melissa Pisco and the Reverend James Jennings presiding. An additional celebration will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at 11:00AM at the Raleigh Memorial Park Chapel in Raleigh, NC with Chaplin Will Barnes presiding.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL, 32257 or to St Paul Methodist Church, 8264 Lone Star Rd, Jacksonville, FL, 32211.

The family would like to especially thank Dr. Jose Garmendia, a beloved family friend, for his attentiveness and his extraordinary care for Wilbur and Virginia during their lifetime and thank the members of the BYKOTA Sunday school class.