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The family of Richard Foster Merritt uploaded a photo
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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The family of Richard Foster Merritt uploaded a photo
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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The family of Richard Foster Merritt uploaded a photo
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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Kathryn Flynn posted a condolence
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Kathryn Flynn is following this tribute.
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Linda Dzierba posted a condolence
Thursday, September 19, 2013
We are asking for photos from family and friends to prepare a celebration of life poster(s) for Rick's memorial. Please follow this link to participate. http://dzre.com/alex/rickposter/
Linda & Alex
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Anonymous posted a condolence
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Richard Flynn (the Younger) made a donation of $20 to help preserve Richard's legacy online.
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Anonymous posted a condolence
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
An anonymous donation of $25 was made to help preserve Richard's legacy online.
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Anonymous posted a condolence
Monday, September 16, 2013
An anonymous donation of $50 was made to help preserve Richard's legacy online.
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Kathryn Flynn posted a condolence
Monday, September 16, 2013
Richard F. Merritt, Jr.'s Obituary
Richard "Rick" Foster Merritt, Jr. died in the early morning hours of August 21, 2013 of a cardiac arrest. He died in his home in Hillsborough, North Carolina. He was 56 years old. Rick was born in Monterey, California on August 9, 1957 but spent the majority of his childhood in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
Rick was the first of three children born to Dr. Richard F. Merritt, Sr. and Sandra W. Merritt.
Rick is survived by his wife Kathryn Merritt Flynn and daughter Sarah Erica Merritt, his parents Richard F. Merritt, Sr. and Sandra W. Merritt and his siblings Jennifer Merritt Chantz, and J. David Merritt.
Rick was a widely respected senior science writer for Duke University for 25 years, beginning in 1988. He was briefly a reporter for the Garner News in North Carolina in 1987, wrote and edited for North Carolina Public Television for 4 ½ years, and was the Science and Government Writer for the Oak Ridger newspaper for almost 4 years. Rick graduated from Earlham College in 1979 with a BA in English.
In his personal life Rick was an accomplished gourmet cook for family and friends. His meals were the highlight of family celebrations, holidays and vacations together in the Outer Banks. He never left the Philadelphia area without picking up Italian hoagies for the ride home and he rarely left North Carolina without picking up pork barbeque. He loved playing strategy games with his daughter, siblings, nieces and nephews as well as leading family late night games of poker. Rick was an avid Phillies, Eagles and college basketball fan.
Rick was a devoted husband and father. His daughter Sarah, in her senior year at University of North Carolina-Asheville, was the joy of his life and he and Kathy had recently adopted a rescue pit bull puppy named Lola who gave Rick much joy prior to his death.
Rick is greatly missed by Kathy, his wife of 33 years, his daughter, Sarah and family, friends, Carolina Friends School staff and Duke colleagues. Memorial donations to the Lung Transplant Foundation or to the Richard Merritt Memorial Scholarship fund (in process at Carolina Friends School) are appreciated.
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kathryn flynn posted a condolence
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Thank you Lynda. It is comforting to hear all of these positive stories. He was gentle, kind, and loved to take advantage of my gullibility, I mean, really, how did I ever believe he and Sarah rode an orca while I was busy working a conference!
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kathryn flynn posted a condolence
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Beautiful Gary. You promised me a call.
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Donna Barton posted a condolence
Saturday, August 31, 2013
I am so proud of you and Rick. How you weathered the storms of life and stayed together until death parted you.
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Deborah Simpkins Fullerton posted a condolence
Friday, August 30, 2013
Many years ago (20 ) Richard and I helped each other through a difficult work environment during our early days at Duke . He always found a way to have fun. We would shoot rubber bands across the cubicles at each other when one was least expecting it. He had at one time a collection of pencils stuck in the ceiling (it takes real skill to shoot those up there). And when he returned from paternity leave he found we had filled his cubicle with balled up newspaper. All because he loved a great joke and had a fun loving spirit. And we wanted him to know we appreciated him. Many days I wish I had him as an officemate again! God bless, Richard.
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G. Weiss posted a condolence
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Richard was my roommate at Earlham College, my informal academic advisor during college, and my life advisor after I graduated. Most of all, he was my friend. While I do miss him very much, I can still hear his comments after I read or write anything--I miss him, but I expect he'll stay with me for life and my life will be better for that fact.
Gary Weiss
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Jeff Molter posted a condolence
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Richard was one of the good ones.......I enjoyed every minute working with him at Duke and thought he was one of the best writers in the medical business. He had a dry sense of humor and a great sense about himself. He is gone way too soon and I will miss him dearly. Perhaps his greatest legacy he gave us is that he never let things bug him much. He just rolled with the punches and enjoyed his life. Thank you for that Richard.
Jeff Molter
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Lynda Cox holshouser posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
It was such a joy to work with Richard and our great team at the Duke News Office. Richard could always bring a smile to our faces with his unique humor and love of all things Tarheel. He made each day special for all of us who were lucky enough to know him.
Lynda Cox Holshouser
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Kendall Morgan posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
I met Richard about 10 years ago when I started working in the Duke Med Center News Office. You can imagine my surprise when I learned he and I were both alums of Earlham, a small Quaker college in Indiana. He and I had both met our spouses in college too and, now, here we were working the same job in the same office. I used to tease him about the fact that he started college at Earlham in the year I was born, but the truth is that I greatly admired Richard from the start. We seemed to be kindred spirits in a way. That connection continued when Richard decided to take my job at the Pratt School of Engineering after I moved again. In recent years, we would still have lunch together, though not often enough. We would share stories about Duke and our families and joke as he always liked to do. As I had kids of my own, I looked to Richard for advice. He was such an engaged dad. We talked about our dogs, too, and in one of our last conversations he showed me pictures of his newest family member. Despite the scratches on his arms, he seemed so very happy with that new dog. It's still very hard to process that I won't be bumping into him on the quad again for an impromptu conversation or seeing him outside my office door after a faculty interview. He was someone who really filled a special place in my heart and will be deeply missed.
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David Jarmul posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
It was a pleasure to work with Richard during his time at the medical center and then after he moved to Pratt. He was such a talented writer. A couple of years ago, our office was considering stories to submit for the CASE national research writing competition. We realized that many of Duke's best research stories that year were written by Richard, so we devoted our entire application to his work -- quite an honor when one considers the high quality of stories written by his colleagues. Richard was not only talented; he was also a good guy, one who was quietly admired across the campus. His death is a great loss -- most especially for his family, but also for all of us who were privileged to work alongside him.
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Karyn Hede posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Richard and I worked together in the Duke Medical Center News Office for five years. Richard amazed me with his ability to deftly handle the hectic atmosphere with kindness, humor and aplomb. We bonded over a love of Tar Heel basketball (shh, don't tell the Dukies) and cooking (though he teased me about my veg. diet). On occasion, he would leave me random newspaper clippings he knew I would enjoy. He was a talented writer, but it was his sense of humor and his love of family I will remember. We have lost a kind, loving, thoughtful man far too soon.
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kathryn flynn posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Oh my. Yhank you!! This means so much to us.
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kathryn flynn posted a condolence
Monday, August 26, 2013
We sure have. Thank you for the wonderful tribute, Deborah.
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Anonymous posted a condolence
Monday, August 26, 2013
The Barton Family made a donation of $50 to help preserve Richard's legacy online.
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Anonymous posted a condolence
Monday, August 26, 2013
Paula Huffman made a donation of $25 to help preserve Richard's legacy online.
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Gaile lit a candle
Sunday, August 25, 2013
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Gaile lit a candle in memory of Richard Foster Merritt Jr.
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Laura Richards posted a condolence
Sunday, August 25, 2013
When waiting for a lung transplant , Richard and Kathryn had my mom and I over for dinner. Richard cooked the dinner and it was awesome. I'll never forget his kindness.
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Anonymous posted a condolence
Sunday, August 25, 2013
An anonymous donation of $25 was made to help preserve Richard's legacy online.
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kathryn flynn posted a condolence
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Oh Karen, James Brown Christmas music- that was Rick. Somehow we lost our complete works disc with "Get Up Offa That Thing" and it was harder to get Sarah off to school. Thank you for your sharing. Love, Kathy
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Marsha Green posted a condolence
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Richard always had a laid-back smile, no matter how tough things got. We shared a love of writing, of Duke, and of Carolina Friends School. We didn't see each much over the past few years, but when we did, it was always a delight. I'll miss him.
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Al Rossiter Jr. posted a condolence
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Richard was as solid a science writer as they come. I met Richard in 1992 when I joined Duke as director of the Duke News Service. Richard was a writer for the Medical Center News Office. It soon became clear that Richard was an extraordinary individual. I retired at the end of 2001 and, on a part-time basis, started the communications program at the Pratt School of Engineering. Richard moved over to Pratt a short time later and his work confirmed what I already knew--Richard turned out good stuff, interesting,accurate and reliable. He worked well with people, and most important, he was a nice guy.
Al Rossiter Jr.
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Janice & Jerry Davis posted a condolence
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Kathryn - Our hearts and prayers go out to you and your family - Take care and God Bless you all - Janice & Jerry
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Karen Hines posted a condolence
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Working with Richard was simply a pleasure. I admired his ability with researchers and physicians, his kindness with patients, his humor with co-workers, and his love for his family. His face shone with pleasure when he told stories about Sarah and Kathy. I am lucky to have known him. I'll be playing some James Brown Christmas music for him today.
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Arlene and Leon Cooper lit a candle
Saturday, August 24, 2013
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Arlene And Leon Cooper lit a candle in memory of Richard Foster Merritt Jr.
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Lauren Williams posted a condolence
Friday, August 23, 2013
Richard was an amazing human being, through and through. I have many wonderful memories of working with him at Duke -- intelligent, modest, incredibly hard-working, quietly humorous, he was always like a rock. It's hard to believe he's gone. Condolences to his wife, Kathy and daughter, Sarah, and other family. Thinking of you during these difficult days. - Lauren Williams
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Deborah posted a condolence
Friday, August 23, 2013
I had the pleasure to work with Richard for several years at Duke. It was always enjoyable to see how his mind worked--how he could use a turn of phrase to help explain deeply technical things. He was a deeply intelligent and profoundly curious person. I learned a lot from him. He loved to write and felt lucky to spend his time doing so. He was monstrously prolific and created a true legacy at Duke. He positively impacted the careers of many scientists over 25 years, and contributed to the reputation of the university. It's easy to think of individual stories and lose sight of the magnitude of what he contributed.
Richard adored his daughter, Sarah. I never saw his smile so wide or his eyes so bright as when he talked of her. It tickled him to no end when they shared the truck and she dropped him off and picked him up from work. He was clearly delighted to have the time with her. I watched the Dad in him grieve some, tempered with pride, as she left for college. Watched him smile ruefully when trips home from college brought a boyfriend home as well. It was hard for him to have Sarah leave home and move beyond what they had known together as father and daughter, but he also looked forward to what they could become in the future.
And Richard also loved his wife, Kathy, with a gentleness that was touching. He worried about losing her, although he talked about it only rarely. It's not quite accurate to think that you know someone deeply just through the lens of working with them, but it did seem to me that all he needed was Kathy and Sarah. As long as they were happy, he had all that he wanted.
We have all lost a gentle, genuinely kindhearted man. -- Deborah Hill
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Walker's Funeral Home posted a condolence
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Walker's Funeral Home made a donation of $65 to help preserve this legacy online.
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