Robert G. Merritt Jr.

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Western High School Mount Holyoke College United States Naval Academy

Robert Merritt Obituary

MERRITT, ROBERT G., JR.

ROBERT GWATHMEY MERRITT, JR., a native of Washington, DC, and Kensington, MD, died May 3, 2003 in Springfield, VA. Born in the District on April 6, 1917, he attended Western High School and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1939. In his distinguished 30-year career in the US Navy, he served four years in the Pacific during World War II; as Captain of the USS Holder, DDE-819; Executive Officer and Captain of the USS Albany, CA-123, and continued as its first Captain when it was re-commissioned as a heavy missile cruiser, CGN-10; and as Captain of the USS Rockbridge, APA 228. He later served as the Commander, US Naval Communications Station, Londonderry, N. Ireland, which handled all official messages between Europe and the US during the Cuban Missile Crisis - the year before satellite communications were inaugurated. His last command was as Commander, Amphibious Squadron 4, during the Crisis in Cyprus in 1963-64, aboard the USS Fremont, APA 44, his Flagship. He married the former Carol S. Fries, of Washington, D.C., in November 1941, and with her raised four children: Robert G. Merritt, III, of Tucson, AZ; Carol S. McCaffrey, of Annandale, VA; Keith F. Merritt, of New Bern, NC; and Pamela S. Nestor, of Aiken, SC. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1968. In October 1982, he married Ruth Payne, of Mount Holyoke, MA, who was widowed and with whom he worked at Mount Holyoke College as a Development Officer for the Seven Sisters Colleges. They spent the past 21 years in robust retirement, traveling often between summer cottages in Capitol Island, ME, and South Egremont, MA, and homes successively in Whispering Pines, NC and Rockville, MD.

Robert leaves behind his wife Ruth, of Baltimore, MD; his younger sister, Elise Callaghan, of Montgomery Village, MD; his four children and their families, including 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and four step-children and their eight children. Robert loved his family, his life-long friends from Washington, and his friends overseas whom he met during many years of service, and he thrived on reunions with classmates from Western High School and the USNA Class of 1939. Robert loved life and everyone he met. He will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be conducted at St. David's Episcopal Church, 5150 Macomb Street, NW, Washington, DC, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2003. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to an appropriate charity.

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Published by The Washington Post on May 9, 2003.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Merritt

1 Entry

Stephen Thoren

May 9, 2003

Uncle Bob lived a very full life. It was not, however, an easy life. He was a diminutive fellow who was the target of bullies as a child, and who barely met the Naval Academy's minimum weight requirement. However, though he was not physically large, he displayed the heart of a lion by graduating from Annapolis as a Naval officer and commanding several vessels during and after World War II. As a child, I remember seeing him respendent in his white uniform, and being so proud that he was my uncle.

Uncle Bob was a kind man, who never failed to put aside his own needs when friends or family needed his help. Different family members have mentioned separate instances in which he drove lengthy distances to attend a sports event or orchestra concert in which one of his children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews was participating. Like many other family members of my generation, at the time I didn't fully appreciate the sacrifices that he made by attending such events. Now that I am older, and realize how easy it is to simply 'not make the effort', Bob's efforts seem all the more noteworthy.

And what can I say about the incredibly loving relationship that existed between Bob and his sister Elise. There was nothing that either Bob and Elise would not have given to help the other. It was a relationship forged by difficult times during the Depression years, and Bob's long absences during WWII. As the decades rolled by, Bob and Elise were always there for each other. We seem to see such longlasting loyalty and affection so infrequently these days. Perhaps it is a hallmark of a very special generation of Americans who had fewer physical comforts than succeeding generations and who were hardened by the loss of family and friends during the war. But whatever the reason, the relationship between Bob and Elise was one which will never die, even when both Bob and Elise are gone. For the ideals, the self sacrifice and the family loyalty expressed by this brother and sister will be passed on by every succeeding generation of the many families that have branched from the Merritts' tree.

Thank you Bob. Thanks for being a wonderful uncle, a loving brother, a caring Dad and the ultimate role model for us all. You'll always have a place in our hearts.

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