1925 – 2015
SOUTH PARIS — Clarence H. “Sonny” Merrill died Sunday, April 12, at the Maine Veterans’ Home. He was born in Poland on Aug. 8, 1925, the son of Clarence C. and Esther Martin Merrill.
After graduating from South Paris High School in 1943, he served as a medic in World War II with the Army Medical Enlisted Transportation Detachment, aboard the troopship S.S. Bienville. He made 17 round trips across the Atlantic to ports in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Norway and Africa, and twice participated in troop exchanges at Normandy.
In 1944, he married Marjorie M. Burns, who passed away in 1976. In 1978, he married Bernice Paine Kane.
Clarence was a founding member of the American Legion Foster-Carroll Post 72 in South Paris, serving in all the offices including commander (1957) and finance officer (27 years). He also was a member of the Paris Lodge No. 94 AF & AM, joining in 1959, and serving as master (1967) and treasurer (1971 to 1999). Since his retirement in 1990, he enjoyed woodworking, working in his yard, dining out and keeping in touch with friends and family on his computer.
He is survived by his wife of Oxford; sister, Eloise Collette of South Paris; son, Steven M. Merrill of Norway; daughters, Virginia M. Rice of Harrison and Linda M. Tenney of Springfield, Va.; stepdaughters, Donna Staples, Mary-Ellen Louque and Karol Smith, all of Oxford; three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, 10 stepgrandchildren; and seven great-stepgrandchildren.
He was predeceased by his parents; and sister, Gloria Komulainen of Standish. Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.
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