ROBERT "Bob" MERRILL

I was saddened to hear of Bob's passing. He taught a lesson at church school at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno, and I was "demoted" to assistant teacher. I learned more in that lesson about the plates and rocks of this earth than in any other class.
Natalie Maxwell

Bob was a great friend and colleague in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences a CSU Fresno. He touched many students in his long and influential career. He will be missed.

Bob the Builder

Though I first met Bob in the capacity of colleague and mentor at the CSU Fresno Dept. of EES (2001-2004), I mostly and fondly look back at how he touched me in friendship. He was affectionately known as a talker, and I soon learned of the expression Merrillized (from one of our department's grad. students) when one got caught up in long discussion with Bob. As a loquacious one myself (witness the eventual length of this entry), Bob and I hit it off straight away in...

What I recall most about Bob is how he (and John Suen also) went out of his way to make me feel like a welcome and valued member of the EES department. Anytime Bob Merrill would see me in the hallway, his first question was always "is there anything you need?", "what can we do for you?", "is there anything we need to be doing for you?". And if it wasn't a question, he'd say "we're so glad you joined our department". He and Diane would invite us to dinner or they would offer tickets to the...

Bob always followed his own moral compass and was a tour de force for good on the campus of California State University, Fresno. Bob's wit and wisdom will be sorely missed.

I am out of the state and regrettably will not be able to attend the celebration of Bob's life. However, I send my deepest condolences to the Merrill family at this sad time.

Bob Merrill was my dear friend, valued colleague, and next door neighbor. He took the lead in bringing Stephen J. Gould and Carl Sagan to lecture in Fresno. A highly regarded professor and world traveler, he was a lifelong learner who always asked thought provoking questions. A proud dad, I enjoyed accompanying him to see his son play football at Fresno High, Stanford, and Yale. I will miss walking around the neighborhood discussing many things and having a laugh. He touched many lives in...

Bob:
All those of us who had the fortune of knowing you will certainly miss you!

Our paths crossed many times. I had him for class at CSUF and events along the San Joaquin River. He will be missed!

What terrible news! Bob Merrill was a gifted teacher, a champion for the environment, and a good and decent human being. Diane, we can't even begin to imagine your sorrow. The earth has lost one of its strongest advocates and we have lost a dear friend. Bob, you will be missed !
Fondly, Frank and Patti Helling