Deeda Mae Williams Merritt

Deeda Mae Williams Merritt was born on April 30, 1933 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to George and Laurah Caldonia Fipps Williams. She married Bruce Merritt, Sr. on April 8, 1956. The couple was married for 42 years.

Dee was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, adopted “Grannie” to all who knew her. She passed away peacefully at her home in Gilmer, TX on April 14, 2025. She was 91 years old.

In high school, she was an avid horsewoman and jitterbugged frequently. She graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1951.

She was always a fun-loving, attentive parent and grandparent. She enjoyed cooking, camping, boating and traveling. There wasn’t much she wouldn’t do to help out her family and spend time with them.

Dee was the last living founding member of Odessa Bible Church in Odessa, Texas. She faithfully attended there for 40 years.

Dee worked at Southwestern Bell Telephone for 36 years. She held a variety of jobs ranging from Telephone Operator to Truck Driver for the telephone company. She is remembered by her friends and co-workers as someone who was always willing to go the extra step to achieve a laugh. For many years, she won the Best Halloween Costume award. After retirement, Dee focused on her passion- cooking for others. She was known far and wide for her famous Pecan Pie. Several local grocers and retailers, along with her doctors were wooed by her well-loved Banana Bread. Her neighbors in both Gardendale and Gilmer knew they were always welcome in her home and around her table. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce Merritt Sr., her sons, Bruce “Scottie” Merritt Jr. and Robert Merritt and daughter Vanda Ezzo. She is survived by her children, Janie Davis, Karen Adams, Dorothy Lamecker, and Thomas Merritt, her daughter-in-law, Tamara Merritt, a doting friend, Phyllis Tidwell, and 20 grandchildren.

Visitation will be at Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater, Texas on April 17th from 1:00 -2:00 PM with the funeral following.

Graveside services will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery on Saturday, April 19th in Odessa, TX at 2:00 PM.

The family would like to thank her niece, Mary Lee Zerby, Rhonda Wall, and Lisa Johnson for their attentive care to Grannie Dee during her last months.