Matthew Gray Merrill

Matthew Gray Merrill Matthew Gray Merrill, Jr. passed away as he held his youngest daughter's hand on Monday, February 25, 2013. Matt was born on May 7, 1925 in Davenport, Iowa. He was the only child of Matthew Gray Merrill, Sr. and Winnifred Lovejoy Merrill. Matt grew up in Davenport and enlisted in the U.S. Navy upon his graduation from high school. He served from 1943 to 1946. He trained as a naval air navigator and worked with an air-sea rescue squadron in the South Pacific. Matt earned a degree in Administrative Engineering from the University of Denver in 1949. In 1954, Matt married Adelaide Daniels Arndt, another Davenport native. The couple had three daughters. They lived in Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan as Matt provided for his family working as a sales engineer for Westinghouse, an automotive market manager for Ingersoll Milling Machine Co., and a product planning specialist for General Electric. He was a very successful industrial salesman. Matt was active in the Northminster Presbyterian Church community in Troy, Michigan, serving as an elder and supporting many humanitarian causes. He enjoyed glass blowing, watercolor painting, and wood carving in his spare time. Matt's wife Addie was afflicted with late onset multiple sclerosis. He was devoted to Addie and cared for her with great patience and skill through the ups and downs of the disease. Matt retired in 1990, and Addie and Matt moved to Bozeman where they both enjoyed the views from their house on Sourdough Road. To say that Matt had an active retirement is an understatement. He enjoyed working out at Montana State University and participating in the Young At Heart program. He spent considerable time hiking, particularly at the M. Matt became an avid race walker and enjoyed competing in the Senior Olympics, in which he set multiple records. He race walked the Sweet Pea 10K into his 80's. After Addie's death in 2002 Matt was able to travel to the places he'd always wanted to go, such as Panama, Peru, Alaska, and Europe. In his final years he enjoyed water aerobics at Eagle Mount and a variety of exercise classes at the Bozeman Senior Center. When asked how he was doing, Matt's frequent reply was 'FANtastic'. This devoted and supportive husband and father, good friend, and all-around sweet guy will be greatly missed. Matt is survived by his daughters, Katharine Merrill of Albuquerque, NM, Sarah Merrill of Bozeman, and Elizabeth Merrill of Boise, ID; son-in-law Yul Kim of Boise; and grandchildren Dylan Barnard of Billings, Marissa Barnard of Bozeman, and Madeleine Kim of Boise. Matt's family is especially grateful to those who helped make Matt's last years meaningful and enjoyable, including (but not limited to!) Celia Wood, Dr. Michael Herring, Gary Lusin, Mary Bertagnolli, Claudia Ball, John Phillips, the front end staff at the Community Food Co-op, the staff and Matt's comrades at the Bozeman Senior Center, and all of Matt's friends and the supportive staff at Spring Meadows. A celebration of Matt's life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 2 at the Bozeman Senior Center, 807 N. Tracy, in Bozeman. Memorials in Matt's name may be made to: Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3633 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48084; or the Bozeman Senior Center, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman, MT 59715. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com.