JIM MERRICK

STRATFORD-Services for James Edward "Jim" Merrick, 41, Stratford, are 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, at the Hope Lighthouse Church in Stratford, Pastor Richard Atzbach will officiate. Burial will follow at McGee Cemetery in Stratford.

Mr. Merrick died Saturday, May 10, 2008 at a local hospital. He was born February 11, 1967 at San Diego, California to Raymond and Dorothy Marie Meyer Merrick. He and his family moved to Eufaula, Oklahoma when he was nine years old. He graduated from Eufaula High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from East Central University in Rehabilitation Counseling.

He married Connie Alene Stuard on April 28, 2001 at Stratford. Mr. Merrick was the President of Kingdom Seekers, Inc., a member of Hope Lighthouse Church, a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Shriner's in McAlester.

Survivors include his wife, Connie Merrick, of the home; his parents, Raymond and Dorothy Merrick, Eufaula; five children, Nicholas Shane Elkins, Bethany, Angelina Michele Elkins, Stratford, Jennifer Wallace, Ada, James Shannon Elkins, Ada, and Joy Sunshine Fox, Ada; 10 grandchildren, Tonya, Jessica, Shannon, Ciara, Jonathan, Preston, Holden, Sam, Hunter and Olivia; four brothers and sisters, Donna Burris, Donald Merrick and wife Nona, John Merrick and wife Melissa, and Robin Murphy and husband Kaleb; and nephews, Kendall and Monteie Burris.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Herman and Eleanor Meyer and paternal grandparents, Edward and Alene Merrick, and a son-in-law, Daniel Keith Fox.

Bearers will be John Merrick, Don Merrick, James Elkins, Nicholas Elkins, Radius Wilkerson, and Jay Hickman.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada