BOUNTIFUL — Joseph Bernard Merritt, 90, died July 31. Merritt was born Sept. 8, 1915, in Olean, N.Y., to Claire LaVerne and Sarah Keyes Merritt. He grew up in Erie, Penn., and was a graduate of St. Vincent High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mining and Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1937. His career as a sales engineer was spent working for such firms as Ingersoll-Rand, Hewitt-Robins, and Argo Industrial, among others. During World War II, he was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy serving at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He served as a ship superintendant of new construction and repair on submarines. Merritt married Teresa Finnegan May 4, 1940, in New York City. They were married for 66 years. He is survived by his wife, Teresa; two sons, Joe (Joyce), San Diego, Calif., and Chris (Kathy), Salt Lake City; daughter, Mary Sheila (Bob), Mill Valley, Calif.; grandchildren, Kristen (Chris) Pincherli. William Merritt, James Merritt, Sarah Merritt, and Ian Merritt. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Olaf Catholic Church. Committal was in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery.
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