ENIGMA — Ralph E. Merritt passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. He was 68. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Dr. Danny Ray and the Rev. Wayne Hunter will officiate with burial to follow in Enigma Cemetery. Gary Kincaid, Charles Roberson, Tommy Nalls, Roger Dill, Alton Sparks and Bob Hallman will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Alan Dixon, Sonny Edmondson, Ray Merritt and Bubba Harrison. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in the chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.

Mr. Merritt was born April 20, 1941 in Wilcox County and was the son of Thomas Merritt and Nancy Ann Bagwell Merritt, both deceased. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, George Merritt, Henry Edward Merritt and Raymond Merritt; and his sisters, Mary Elizabeth Futch, Annie Gibbs and Geraldine Curry. He attended Enigma Congregational Christian Church.

In 1964, he began working as Shipping Supervisor for Fitzgerald Underwear Corporation, now Berlin Corporation, and served in that capacity for 21 years. He was Plant Manager for Ithaca Industries in Camilla and Vidalia from 1985-1999. He retired in 1999 from Ithaca and started working for the Board of Education and worked there until 2007. He enjoyed the time he spent with the students and the parents.

During this time in his life, he was an active member of the Tift County Blue Devil Booster Club. He was an official umpire for the Goldleaf Umpire Association and worked football games all over Georgia. His pallbearers have been and/or are still members of this association. He was a member of the Board of Recreation for many years and also served as chairman. Although he dedicated a long portion of his life to participating in sports and supporting the Georgia Bulldogs, his most cherished time was watching his daughters play.

Ralph loved life and helping people, especially his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 25 years, Virginia Merritt of Enigma; his daughters and their husbands, Tina and Pete Coppola of Atlanta, Nancy and Barry Whitehead of Tifton and Donna Jean Merritt of Atlanta; his step-children, Sandy Burgess of Brookfield and Lee and Candy Burgess of Brookfield; his mother-in-law, Estelle Furr; eight grandchildren, Patrick and Tyler Simmons of Tifton, Pete and Kateri Coppola of Atlanta, Trip and Taylor Burgess of Brookfield, Shane and Melissa Scotts of Brookfield; brothers, Leonard Merritt of St. Simon’s Island, James Merritt of Baconton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

You may express online condolences to the family at www.bowen-donaldson.com. Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.