Frances Margaret Hische Merritt
Frances Margaret Hische Merritt
September 8, 1933 — February 7, 2018
Frances Margaret Hische Merritt, 84, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, died February 7, 2018 after a long and fruitful life.
Born Sept. 8, 1933, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Harry L. Hische and Grace Obaugh Hische, Frances and her sister Nan moved around as children but considered Galveston, Texas, where they graduated from Ball High School, as their home.
Not long after graduation, Frances married Warren Franklin ‘Skeeter’ Merritt Jr. and they promptly began raising a family of five children, living along the Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana, then West Virginia and back to Texas.
As the kids got older, Frances entered the workforce and simultaneously furthered her education, earning an associate’s degree from Marshall University, a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia State College, then enrolling in the University of Houston Law School, where she earned a J.D. degree at age 55.
After Skeeter retired in 1993 from a career with Union Carbide, they moved to their dream home along the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country, which they made into a loving and welcome vacation spot for family and friends.
In Llano, Texas, Frances began working for the Oatman Law Office as attorney. As she had everywhere she lived, she became heavily involved in the community and made strong friendships. She volunteered, led organizations, performed gratis law work for who knows how many people, and served as leader of the Republican Women's Club. With Skeeter, she an active member of Grace Episcopal Church of Llano, serving on the Vestry and in other capacities. When Skeeter became stricken with Alzheimer's Disease, she founded the Care Givers Day Out program in Llano.
Frances was preceded in death by her parents, Skeeter - her husband of 60 years, her sister Nan Pye, and one son, Danny Merritt.
She is survived by one daughter, Lynn Merritt Gaudet and husband, Steve Gaudet, of St. Francisville, La.; three sons, David Merritt and wife, Elaine Jackson, of Amargosa Valley, Nev.; Mickey Merritt of Alpine, Texas; and Kelly Merritt and wife, the Rev. Melissa E. Remington of Charleston W.Va.; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and additional daughters-in-law Cyndy Klock Bazille, Julie Benefield, Connie Singer, Pam Merritt and Teri Whelan.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 7, at 1:30 p.m. at Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Chapel, 307 East Sandstone, Llano, with committal following at Llano City Cemetery. Visitors may call at 12:30 p.m. at the Funeral Chapel. All are invited to a reception at Grace Episcopal Church, 1200 Oatman Street, Llano, immediately following the services.
Memorials may be made to Grace Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 1200 Oatman St., Llano, TX 78643.
Funeral arrangements made under the direction of Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Homes Inc., Llano. E-mail condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net.
