Margie Pitts Bishop Merchant, 69, of Alapaha passed away Tuesday, June 24, 2003, at Affinity Health Group in Tifton. Her funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 27, 2003, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Billy Dawson and the Rev. Joseph L. Crumley officiating. Mrs. Merchant was late to rest at Union Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Willacoochee.
Kenneth Vickers, Tim Merchant, Dustin Pitts, Terry Merchant and Joe Vickers served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Ken Harper, Carl McMath, Tony Beal, Keith Futch, Roger Smith, Heath Greer, Drew Cox and Alan Bishop.
born June 20, 1934, in Tift County, Mrs. Merchant was the daughter of Zelma Lois Purvis Pitts of Tifton and the late Lowell Leon Pitts. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, William Vernon Bishop; and one son, Lower Jeff Bishop, who passed away in 1999. She retired from Tifton Surgical Clinic; and she had lived in the Tiftarea her entire life.
In addition to her mother, Mrs. Merchant is survived by her husband, Carroll Merchant of Alapaha; one son, William Randall Bishop of Tifton; three daughters, Jenia Beal of McDonough, Donna Merchant Futch of White House, Tennessee and Lynn Merchant Smith of Tifton; two brothers, Lowell Douglas Pitts oof Tifton and Gene Pitts of Tucson, Arizona; and nine grandchildren, Alan Bishop, Drew Cox, Deidra Greer, Austin White, Brittany Beal, Tyler Beal, Brandi Futch, Morgan Futch and Jamie Futch.