Judy Carol Merriman

Judy Carol (Stevens) Merriman was born in Oklahoma City, OK on June 24, 1947, to Exa Lee Horton Stevens and Ellis Stevens. With her husband of 40 years at her side, she entered the Lord’s garden on May 13, 2016.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents Ellis and Exa Lee Stevens, her brothers Donald and Joe Neal Stevens, and 3 grandchildren lost during pregnancy. She is survived by her husband, Jimmy Ted Merriman; her sister Mary Ellis McMaster and her husband Foy; her children, Raymond Ellis Merriman and his wife Rida, Rebecca Jean Wallace and her husband John; Vikki Lynn Ratliff and her husband Jason; 7 grandchildren, Julia Lee Merriman, Ashlei Nicole Merriman, Kimberly Marie Merriman, David Anthony White, Raymond Ellis Merriman Jr, Madisyn Michelle Ratliff, and Nicholas Rush Ratliff; 1 great-granddaughter, A’Lea Monae Culberson; many nieces, nephews, cousins; and friends too numerous to count.

Judy was the youngest of 4 siblings, coming along when her older siblings were grown. She spent her early years living in various locations, before her family settled in Del City. She called Del City home for most of her life.

After being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes before she was 4 years old, Judy was a subject in one of the first comprehensive studies of the disease. Dr C. Alton Brown, a pioneer in Diabetes research, helped Judy learn to live a full life, despite the disease that affected her, which she did. She was one of the first women to have not one, but two, healthy, full term pregnancies, and helped open the door for diabetic women everywhere to know the joy of motherhood, in a time it was thought to be unsafe.

Judy was a lover of the written word. In her teen years, she appeared in several plays, her favorite parts being the Duchess in Alice in Wonderland and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest. She studied English Literature at Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma), with plans to be an English teacher upon graduation. While she chose motherhood over academia, Judy never lost her love of the English language, and could always be found, book in hand, lost in a world of imagination.

Judy found the love of her life in 1975, when she met her husband, Jimmy Ted Merriman. From the beginning, the two were inseparable, and on October 16, 1975, they married. With Ted’s daughter Becky, and Judy’s children Ray and Vikki, her family became complete.

She worked for the State of Oklahoma for several years, before retiring to keep books for her husband’s business. She loved this job the most, as it gave her more time to be with Ted. She was very active in the Blind community, volunteering for many committee positions, as a driver, and she recorded dozens of books on tape for the Oklahoma Library for the Blind. Judy also volunteered with the national Beep Ball Association, an organization that brings the game of baseball to the blind. While Ted played the game, Judy worked tirelessly to help modify the rules to make the game safer and more enjoyable for the players, and was a sighted helper for several years.

Judy loved to travel with her husband, and they spent thousands of hours on the road. Together, they saw most of the United States, almost all by car. She loved nothing more than experiencing new places with Ted at her side, and was always looking for their next destination.

Judy devoted her life to her husband, her children, and her volunteer work. While we are so sad to part ways for now, we rejoice in the knowledge that she now knows the beauty of that garden.