Iva Louise Merritt

1930 - 2018

Iva Louise
Merritt
July 15, 1930-
August 4, 2018
Weston, GA- Iva Louise Castleberry Merritt, born July 15, 1930 at home in Lumpkin, Georgia, the daughter of Troy Holder Castleberry and Evelyn Dowd Castleberry, passed away on August 4, 2018. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at Weston Baptist Church with interment to follow in Weston Baptist Church Cemetery. Rev. Wallace Willis will officiate. A visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service.
Mrs. Merritt attended school at Lumpkin and graduated from there in 1947. She attended college at the University of Georgia where she received a degree in Home Economics in 1950. She married Clyde Richard "Dick" Merritt on August 12, 1950. They made their home in Weston where he was involved in farming and logging.
Mrs. Merritt was active in church and civic activities in Weston. She spearheaded the need of a new water system by going to Atlanta to meet with officials and was successful in getting a loan to have a well and water lines installed. Weston Baptist Church was old and beyond repair so Mrs. Merritt found that the majority of its members wanted a new church. She worked tirelessly to get this done. The greatest challenge of Mrs. Merritt's life was when she assumed the chairmanship of the committee that put together the Webster County History book. The book was completed in 1980.
Mrs. Merritt was a member of Weston Baptist Church. She served as WMU director, Sunday School teacher and treasurer, with her husband, for thirty-eight years. She was a member of the Kinchafoonee Regional Library Board, the Webster County Library Board, the Weston Woman's Club and served as a den mother for Cub Scouts.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Larry Castleberry and a sister, Joyce Castleberry Bisner. She is survived by her husband of sixty-eight years, Clyde Richard "Dick" Merritt; two sons, Richard Merritt and his wife Tammy and John Merritt and his wife Jan, all of Weston, GA; two grandchildren, Rich Merritt of Austin, TX and Ashley Merritt of Weston, GA; and two sisters, Frances Castleberry Keightley of Columbus, GA and Dr. Barbara Castleberry Carlton of Wauchula, FL. Two step-grandchildren and their families also survive: Tony Cheshire and wife Karen and their daughters, Haley and Katie of Coffee Springs, AL and Jennifer Kelly and husband Brian of Sparks, GA and their daughter, Lindsey Kelly of Valdosta, GA. Also surviving is a godson, Tanner Matthews. A special thank you to all the caregivers for their love and support.
Those wishing to sign the online registry may do so at www.harveyfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to Weston Baptist Church, 785 Main Street, Weston, GA 31832 or to the Valley Rescue Mission, 7553 N. Veterans Parkway, Columbus, GA 31909 or to the Georgia Baptist Children's Home, P.O. Box 329, Palmetto, GA 30268.