William "Bill" Lewis Merritt, Jr. received eternal peace on February 9, 2021. He was born in Bridgeport, Alabama on June 27, 1958 to the late William Lewis Merritt, Sr. and Virginia Ann Allison Merritt.

He was a 1976 graduate of Bridgeport High School and attended Middle Tennessee State University and The University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. At the time of his death, he was owner- operator of Merritt Farms and was employed with Google G4S North American in Bridgeport, Alabama. He was previously employed at Siskin Steel in Chattanooga and United States Gypsum located in Bridgeport, Alabama. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved nothing more than to be surrounded by nature's beauty. He was a member of the Bridgeport Masonic Hall, Cahaba Shriners, and Bridgeport Church of Christ.

Along with his father, he is preceded in death by his son, William "Will" Lewis Merritt, III; maternal and paternal grandparents, Curtis Lee and Kathryn Arendale Allison, and Carl Frank and Beulah Northcutt Merritt; parents-in-law Dr. Horace Levoy and Mary Elmore; brothers-in-law Michael Feher and Phillip Winfrey; and sister-in-law Janice Elmore.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Lauria Elmore Merritt and son Matthew Elmore Merritt; mother Virginia Ann Merritt; sisters Kathryn "Cookie" Merritt, Sharon "Candy" Feher, and Melissa "Missy" Emerling; brother-in-law Levoy (Tina) Elmore, sister-in-law Jill (Butch Maynor) Winfrey; aunts and uncles, Eileen (Bo) Murray, Bedford (Bobbie Cloe) Allison, Jeannine Raulston, Charles Merritt and Charles Elmore; and cousins Gloria (Randy) Smith, Marc (Priscilla) Merritt, Patricia Merritt Cornette; and several nieces and nephews as well as a host of friends.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Bridgeport Church of Christ on Sunday, February 21, at 2:00 pm.(CST).

The family will receive friends for visitation from 1:00 p.m. till 2:00 p.m. (CST) prior to the Celebration of Life Service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that memorials be made to the Will Merritt Scholarship Fund at First National Bank of Bridgeport or PO Box 62 Bridgeport, AL 35740, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or a charity of your choice.

We respectfully request that "social distancing", wearing masks at all times, and all CDC guideline and measures are followed.

Arrangements are by Rogers Funeral Home of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, 400 laurel Ave. South Pittsburg, Tennessee (423) 837-7176.