Elton Merritt, 80, Cape Charles Ferryman, Police Officer

December 22, 2012

Elton Merritt Sr., 80, a resident of Cape Charles, passed away Friday, December 21, at his home.

A celebration of life service will be held 11 a.m Thursday, December 27, at St. Charles Catholic Church with Father J. Michael Breslin officiating. Interment will follow in Cape Charles Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Eastern Shore S.P.C.A. Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 164, Onley, VA 23418. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com.

A native of Cape Charles, Mr. Merritt was the son of the late Isaac Lewis Merritt and the late Lillian Hux Merritt. He was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church. He worked on the Cape Charles ferries until they moved. He then went to work for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, and then went to the Police Academy in Virginia Beach, where he graduated in the top of his class.

He later worked as a police officer for the Town of Cape Charles under Mayor Ward, and a few years later for Northampton County in Eastville and Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff Tank Belote, for a total of 20 years in law enforcement. He then decided to go back to school and at age 40 received an engineering degree from Piney Point in Baltimore. He then worked for Allied Towing Ocean Tug as a Chief Master Engineer until he retired at age 60.

He is survived by seven children, Lillie Merritt Parker and her husband, Buddy, Mary Merritt Landon and her husband, Richard, Elton Lewis Merritt Jr., Timothy Isaac Merritt and his wife, Karen, Teresa Merritt Wayman and her husband, Jeffrey, Christopher Wayne Merritt and his wife, Lisa, Angela Virginia Merritt and her fiancée, Niva R. Ortiz; 16 grandchildren — Geoffrey Abraham, Derek Abraham, Kristopher Abraham, Renee Landon, Christina Bonniwell, Elton Merritt III, Logan Merritt, Timmy Merritt, Lindsey Merritt, Jeffrey Wayman, Matthew Wayman, Shannon Merritt, Laura Merritt, Hunter Elliott, Christopher Elliott, Heatherlea Elliott; 11 great grandchildren — Alyssia Abraham, Taylor Bonniwell, Marissa Bonniwell, Nikki Bonniwell, Tyler Bonniwell, Natalya Bonniwell, Chayce Wayman, Ethan Wayman, Jacob Mellhammer, Isaac Merritt, and Elijah Merritt. He was predeceased by a sister, Lula Merritt Thurman, a brother, Ira Garland Merritt Sr. and a granddaughter, Catherine Meranda Merritt.

Arrangements are by Wilkins-Doughty Funeral Home in Cape Charles.

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