WATERVILLE – Francis “Butch” Merritt died peacefully on Feb. 7, 2023 surrounded by his loving family at Maine General Hospital.

He was born in Rochester, Mass. on July 1, 1936 to Francis and Hattie Merritt. His family lived on the property of Ellis D. Atwood, which had many acres of cranberry bogs in Carver, Mass., and Butch’s father was the foreman of that business. During harvest the cranberries were brought in from the bogs on a narrow-gauge railroad, which Mr. Atwood had relocated from Sandy River. This later became known as The Edaville Railroad. Butch always said he was lucky to grow up there because there was a lot of interesting activity, and in the winter they played hockey on the frozen bogs.

His father and brother were baseball enthusiasts and at a young age Butch was bat boy for the town team and later organized a team for the local boys. He graduated from Plymouth High School where he excelled at basketball and baseball.

In 1950 he met Virginia Nichols at a church camp in Marion, Mass. Six years later they were married and moved to Aurora, Ill., where he attended Aurora College (now Aurora University) and was referred to by many as an “eternal optimist.” He played basketball and baseball, and after his graduation he became the baseball coach and assumed other responsibilities in the physical education department.

He graduated with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees. He then went to seminary in Naperville, Ill., graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. In 1964 they moved to Augusta where he served as pastor of a church, and children, Peter and Pam were joyfully added to the family.

In 1967 they moved to Waterville to serve part time in the Blessed Hope Advent Christian Church and to begin his 25-year career as science teacher at the Waterville Jr. High School. He received his master’s degree in Science Education at Farmington College.

As a teacher he is often remembered for his pet iguana, his many trips with the ski club he founded, his winter safety course, and the interesting things he kept in formaldehyde in the closet.

He initiated the building of the Merritt Nature Trail, and many students walked the trail, learning a variety of things as they went along. One year he discovered the bones of a dead moose in the Belgrade woods. With many trips he brought it to the school, and had the students put the moose skeleton together. For years the skeleton served in the classroom as a working illustration of anatomy. During this time, he coached basketball and baseball at the junior high school, and later coached baseball for 11 years at Waterville High School.

He was ordained as a United Methodist elder, and upon his retirement from teaching, he served as pastor in several churches in the area. He was active in the community with the Waterville Rotary Club, the United Way, the Oakland Food Pantry, and as president of the board of the Sunset Home.

He was an avid Red Sox fan, and followed the Patriots, Celtics and Bruins. He enjoyed skiing, golfing, hiking, hunting, fishing, and playing bridge. Butch cherished the times he hunted with his grandsons and was very proud the day he and Drew came home with Drew’s first deer. He and Virginia enjoyed traveling, visited many states including Alaska and Hawaii, and took two trips to Europe.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia; son, Peter, daughter, Pamela; granddaughter Sarah, grandsons Drew and Keith; brother, Robert, sister, Nancy; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his sister, Gertrude.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Oakland-Sidney United Methodist Church in Oakland on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m.

Arrangements are in the care of Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church St., Oakland, where condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

Memorial gifts can be made in his name to the Oakland Methodist Church, Maine General Hospital in Augusta, St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor, or a charity of choice.

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