Walter Merritt

Published 4:44 pm Thursday, January 15, 2015

A casual Celebration of Life for Walter J. Merritt, 72, of Goodsprings, is 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Athens State University Sandridge Student Center ballroom.

Mr. Merritt passed away on Jan. 12, 2015, at home. He was born on Dec. 14, 1942, in Mineola, New York, to Isaac Walter and Olga Merritt.

Following high school, Mr. Merritt enlisted in the United States Army and served in Vietnam. He then attended Athens College where he graduated in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in history.

Mr. Merritt was a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 27 years. After retiring, he returned to the Athens area and started his own private investigative agency.

He was an active member of the Athens Optimist Club and a member of the Goodsprings Volunteer Fire Department. For 10 years he served on the board of directors for the Athens State Alumni Association, including two years as president. He belonged to the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and served two years as the southeast regional vice president.

Survivors include his wife, Debra; daughter, Wendi J. Merritt and fiance Treacy Stone; daughter, Lyra L. Sjoberg; two grandchildren, Jackson Sjoberg and Andrew Sjoberg; sister, Muriel Tara Johnson; sister, Marion Parsons and husband Emmett; and several nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Athens State University Alumni Scholarship Fund or to the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund.