Florence Ida Merrill

Florence Ida (Greenwood) Merrill succumbed to cancer on November 19, 2008 in Kennewick, WA.

Florence was born Sept. 6, 1925 in Grafton, MA to Joseph and Jeanette (Nelson) Greenwood. At a young age, she acquired the nick-name Miki based on her love of Mickey Mouse. The name stuck and she has been known as Miki ever since. Miki graduated from Grafton High School in 1943. In 1948, she married. Nicholas Joseph Merrill of Millbury and while he was on assignment with the Air Force in Korea and Saudi Arabia, Miki resided in Rochdale and Whitinsville off and on until 1956. Other early residences until 1956 included Portland, OR, Soap Lake, WA and Long Island, NY. In 1956, Nick was assigned to Moses Lake and the family continued a Sojourn through Moses Lake, Tacoma, Anchorage AK, Madison, WI and Sioux City, IA. Miki was a first hand observer of the 1964 earthquake in Anchorage.

Miki finally got a home of her own in 1972 after Nick retired from the Air Force and settled in Richmond, WA. She was employed for many years at the Bonanza 88 and Payless stores in Richland.

Since Nick's death in 1983, Miki has had the opportunity to try her hand at wood working, folk art painting and "collecting" her cats! She also enjoyed sewing, knitting and needle point. For a number of years she was a fixture on the local Bazaar circuit selling her hand painted wood figurines and furniture. Known to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as "Granny", "Granny Cat" and "Nana Miki", she maintained her "tradition of Christmas Eve at her house for the family with a healthy serving of Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Miki remained a resident of Richland until last April. Since then until her death she resided in the assisted living facility at Hawthorne Court in Kennewick under the loving care of the staff in that facility.

Miki was predeceased in death by her parents, husband and youngest daughter, Jo Ann. She is survived by son, Barry (Phyllis) Merrill; daughter, Donna (Howard) Simonlton; 5 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff of Hawthorne Court for their care and assistance to express our gratitude to the Hospice Nurses and staff for easing the transition of our mother from here to a better place.

A small memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 21 at Mueller's Chapel of the Falls in downtown Kennewick, WA. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Tri-Cities Hospice.