John Merrill

JOHN PHILIP MERRILL (Age 72)
John Merrill departed this life June 10, 2019 at his home in Keizer, OR. He grew up in Lafayette, CA and graduated from Acalanes High School. He frequently visited Yosemite (working there summers) and his family's cabin at Lake Tahoe. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, joining Sigma Chi Fraternity, and met his first wife Cheryl Singer. They had two sons: John Christian and Philip Patrick.Upon graduation, John earned a Master's degree from UCLA. He joined the Defense Department, spending two years at McClellan AFB in Sacramento. There he enjoyed fishing in the nearby American River and hiking/backpacking at Lake Tahoe. In 1975, John and Cheryl moved to northern Virginia where John began work at the Pentagon.His career there spanned six presidential administrations. He was considered a prolific writer of policy/strategy for the Western Hemisphere and was highly regarded by his colleagues. He retired in 2012.In 2008, he married Mariana Ojeda and five years later they moved to Keizer. John was an avid photographer who developed his photographs in his own dark room. He also enjoyed art and amassed an impressive collection of paintings from his travels to Thailand, Finland, Haiti, and South America. John was preceded in death by his son, John Christian, and parents, Albert Merrill and Barbara Craig. He is survived by his son Philip Patrick of Reston, VA; his wife Mariana, and brother James, both of Keizer; and his sister Emily Dossett of Jackson, MS. Private memorial held in Keizer. Memorial contributions may be made to Children's Hospital National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010.