Don Ray Merrick

Funeral services for Don Ray Merrick, 86, of Lawton, Oklahoma will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 13, 2020 in the Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home Chapel.  

Mr. Merrick passed away at home on Saturday, January 4, 2020 in Lawton, OK.

Services are under the direction of Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home.

Viewing begins on Friday, January 10, 2020 at noon and continues up until the time of his service

A special visitation will be held on Sunday,January 12, 2020 from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.  

Mr. Merrick was born on May 13, 1933 in Floydada, TX to Harold and Edna Merrick.  The family moved to Lawton, OK from Texas.  He attended and graduated High School from Lawton High in 1953.  After graduating he attended Cameron University for two years.  On May 23, 1957 he joined the U.S. Army.  He was a career Soldier and served his country honorably for 32 years, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 on May 31, 1985.  He and his family were stationed and traveled extensively while he was in the Army.  After retiring from the Army; he and his wife made Lawton their permanent home.  He enjoyed making models, anything to do with trains or the railroad and spent numerous hours planting trees in his yard.

He is survived by his wife, Saundra of the home; his daughters: Donnine Pantoja and her husband Felix of Rio Rancho, New Mexico and Terra Merrick of Lawton, OK; his grandchildren: Michelle Boetjer Satterfield of White Oak, PA, Jeremy Boetjer and his wife Sophia of Columbus, GA and Felicia Pantoja of White Oak, PA; and four great grandchildren. 

He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Blake Benson.

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