THELMA MERRITT, 88, of Milton, passed away Monday, Oct. 10, 2011, at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington. Funeral service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011, at Heck Funeral Home, Milton, with the Rev. Allen Stewart officiating. Burial will follow in Milton Cemetery. She was born March 29, 1923, in Lincoln County, W.Va., a daughter of the late James and Fannie Spry. She was also preceded in death by one son, Barney Merritt; two sisters, Victoria Maynard and Ocie Damron; and five brothers, Silas, Garland, Alvin, Charlie and Sebastian "Bass" Spry. Mrs. Merritt was a member of Milton Baptist Church and the Milton Senior Center, which she helped start. She is survived by her loving husband of 69 years, Corden Merritt; two sons and daughters-in-law, Corden W., Jr. "Bill" and Linda Merritt of Manassas, Va., and Barry and Kay Merritt of Huntington; one daughter, Becky Estes of Hammond, Ind.; one sister, Louisa Adkins of Huntington; Byron "Buck" Spry and his wife Pauline of Logan County; one daughter-in-law, Patty Merritt of Dumfries, Va.; 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011, at Heck Funeral Home, Milton.