RAMAH — Funeral services for Paul Merrill, 90, will be 10 a.m., Saturday, June 5, at LDS Church, Ramah. Visitation will be 9 a.m., before services. Private burial services will be held after.

Merrill died May 30, in Albuquerque. He was born Aug. 6, 1919, in Ramah to Thomas and Mary Eliza Merrill and graduated from Gallup High School before joining the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Marines from 1938 to 1945 and was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. After the war, Merrill purchased the Fort Wingate Trading Post and shortly after married Patti Vogt from Ramah. He was a trader for 48 years and Postmaster for 24 years. While he was in Fort Wingate, he took an active part in the community and was president of the local PTA, Lion's Club and American Legion amongst others.

Always a proud Marine, he and Patti attended Marine Reserve Officers reunions for many years, even hosting the group in the Gallup area twice.

Paul worked tirelessly to preserve the old fort buildings at Fort Wingate and he and Patti were heartbroken when they were torn down. Paul retired from the trading post business in 1991 and sold the business to his son Scott. They moved to their ranch in his hometown of Ramah where he once again became a civic "mover and shaker", starting a historical museum with help of his neighbors and local relatives. He and Patti took many trips in the US and overseas. Patti died in 2003 but after a few years, he found a new love in Flora Lambson who he had known as a young man. They married and lived in Ramah.

Paul is survived by his wife, Flora and his children, Paul Jr. (Jannet), Judy Slade (Les), Scott (Alysyn) and Sonya Heiserman (Chris); 14 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; four step-children.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ramah Historical Society, PO Box 753, Ramah, N.M., 87321.
Burial family burial site - Double Tree Ranch