CHICOPEE ~ Steven A. Merritt, 72, of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Monday, June 24, 2019. He entered into Eternal Life at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family. He was born in Greenwich, Connecticut on July 28, 1946, a beloved son of the late Samuel A. and Nancy (Lucas) Merritt. He was raised in Hillsdale, NY and Housatonic, MA and graduated from Searles High School in Great Barrington, MA. As a young man, Steven lived a carefree life and had traveled and lived all over New England. He enjoyed Martha’s Vineyard in the summer months and Snowmass Village, CO where he loved to ski in the winter months. In 1984, he moved to South Hadley before relocating to Chicopee in 1989. He was employed as a sales representative for the Waste Management Company and had previously worked in the automobile sales field. Following his retirement, he had worked for Balise Honda in West Springfield. Steven was a meticulous person. His attention to detail was evident with his home organization and his home landscaping which attracted many onlookers. He was devoted to his two sons and spoke to them over the phone every day and loved catching up with them over coffee. As a salesman and in his personal life, his honesty and integrity was well known to all his customers and friends. He was an avid walker and made many friends walking at the Ingleside Mall in Holyoke. During his leisure time, he enjoyed photography. Above all, he loved spending time with his sons, his family and his many friends. He leaves his two devoted sons, Mathew A. Merritt and his wife, Cathy (Carvalho) Merritt, of South Hadley and Ryan S. Merritt of Chicopee; his newborn granddaughter whom he did not have the opportunity to meet, Lola Steven Merritt; his dear former wife, Cathy Merritt Zimmerman and her husband, John Zimmerman, of Amherst; his five loving brothers and three loving sisters, Tim Merritt and his wife, Micki, Pete Merritt and his wife, Pat, twins Luke Merritt and Ginger Briqueler, twins Mike Merritt and his wife, Mari, and Martha Root and her partner, Rick Ventrone, Jill Ginn and her husband, Tom, and Todd Merritt and his wife, Linda; his dear uncle and aunt, Bob and Nan Lucas; his niece who was like his daughter, Lauren Skinner; and his many dear nephews, nieces, grand nephews, grand nieces, friends and extended family members. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his dear nephew, Brian Briqueler. His family will receive friends on his birthday, Sunday, July 28, 2019 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. followed by a 4:30 p.m. Celebration of Life Service at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Fairview Chapels, (413-533-3307), 506 Britton Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. The funeral home parking lot is located in the rear. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Shriners Hospital for Children Springfield Unit, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104. For more details, please visit:
www.stpierrephaneuf.com