Ruth A. Merritt Kasnet

KASNET, RUTH A. MERRITT, Survivors include: her husband, Norman Kasnet; her children, Roger (Madelyn) Merritt and Rosalind Merritt; grandchildren, Rebecca Merritt (Andy Singer), Rachel Merritt, Aaron Merritt; great-grandchildren, Lila and Zachary Singer; her sister, Evelyn Nussbaum; her step-children, Steve (Missy) Kasnet and Peter (Deirdre) Kasnet; and grandchildren, Hadley (John) Scully, Archie, Brad, and Lauren Kasnet; great-granchild, Charlotte Scully. Her siblings, Frances Gold and Zane Alpert, pre-deceased her. Her many nieces and nephews also survive her. Born in Springfield, Mass., to Morris and Annie Alpert, her family moved to Miami Beach in 1929. Her family was one of the pioneering Jewish families who built hotels and apartment buildings (Kahn & Alpert) such as The Breakwater and Plymouth Hotels, now on the National Historic Register. A graduate of Miami Beach High and Northwestern University Dental School as a dental hygienist, Ruth married Bob Merritt in 1944, and worked for 11 years to create Merritt Construction Corp., one of the biggest developers in Miami during the 1950's and 1960's. She was "the women's club champ" of both Bayshore and Normandy Golf Courses. Ruth had many friends, both in Florida and Massachusetts. After Bob's sudden death in 1972, she married Norman in 1976 and they became 'snowbirds,' spending over 28 summers in Marblehead, Mass., playing golf, cards and mah-jong. Because of her many illnesses, they moved permanently back to Miami in 2003. Even though she had heart problems, diabetes, osteo-arthritis, and more, Ruth was a very strong woman -- both physically and mentally -- able to survive her medical problems as long as she did. She was classy, beautiful, and intelligent, and will be remembered as a kind and generous woman to both her family and life- long friends. Rest in peace, now, dear Ruth. Services are Monday, May 21, at Riverside Gordon on Alton Rd. & 20th Street, Miami Beach 11:30 AM. Shiva is Roger Merritt's house only on Monday and Tuesday, ending Tues. at sundown. To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.MiamiHerald.com/obituaries.