10/18/2013
I am posting for those not able to attend to service for (Uncle) Timmy. It was a great eulogy and delivered in a very celebratory way by Mark (Dad).
Good morning and thanks for coming today. My family is very appreciative. My brother Timmy would be as well. The little leprechaun is probably looking down and saying….”Mark, what is the big deal?” He’s probably also adding, “Mark, I know you are my older brother and don’t want me telling you what to do, but listen, “You’ve got to add some humor in the mix.”……..so, I’ll try bro.
Let me tell you the last time I saw my brother….it was about two weeks ago and I was up here in New England visiting the family…..I had a couple hours free on Sunday before heading off to Bradley airport and I suggested to Timmy that we go out to his favorite gym which was Planet Fitness….Timmy instead had another idea and within a few minutes I found myself in a very strange environment….Timmy had convinced me to get my first ever “Mani-Pedi”…..we sat there in Hampshire mall for about two hours and were like two chatty kathies…..as I was getting ready to leave, Timmy said, “Bro, let me see your fingernails…he then followed with his comment, “Dude, really”…He then insisted I get this thing called a Mani……I’m here to tell you there is nothing “Manly” about it…..I didn’t know what the word cuticle was until 60 years of it was getting scrapped back and worked…and it hurt…but hey, look at my nails. Thanks Timmy.
One of my challenges in preparing this eulogy was the sheer volume of condolences, stories, and accolades that were sent to my family about our beloved Timmy. I have incorporated much of this information in my remarks today, but I apologize in advance if your particular story was not included. I invite you to go to the FACEBOOK site entitled the Timothy Patrick Merritt Memorial, set up by Timmy’s nephew Cy. There you can read an enormous variety of often poignant comments about Tim. These comments aptly demonstrate the depth of the positive impact the leprechaun had on so many people who came into contact with him. ……On behalf of my family, I again want to thank you for those superb comments.
I also invite you to read the wonderful obituary written by our sister Pam….excuse me, DOCTOR Pam…..Timmy was so proud of you being able to add that title to your name.
Speaking of our family, many of you know that Timmy’s family and friends had a wedding later on the day that he died for his nephew Chris. That wedding continued, and Chris and his new bride Lee Anne were sent off in the great spirit of an Irish celebration. My brother Timmy would have been very pleased.
My brother had a passion for several things, which I will mention in a few minutes, but he was not always like that. Following high school in Granby, and attendance at area colleges, Timmy bounced around a bit. He was the typical prodigal son, and many of us have the gray hairs as evidence. To his profound credit though, Timmy turned things around and became firmly grounded.
My brother’s chief passion came very late in his life. That passion was for his boys Taro and Kai, who remained the light of his life. Timmy always had a recent video or photographs he was showing to anyone near him. His face beamed with joy and pride as he would share updated stories on each of them. His smart phone was filled with these moments and he was profoundly thankful to their wonderful mother Nancy in helping to raise these two beautiful twins. On behalf of the family, thank you Nancy.
Another passion of Timmy’s was teaching, which he no doubt got from his parents, and the many members of his family who were educators. For several years he taught classes at Frontier High School, produced school plays and actively participated in other school activities. The many vignettes and comments on the Facebook site are a testament to the profound impact Timmy had there.
I believe though, as so many others do, that his true vocation was as a principal at Sunderland Elementary School. We all saw characteristics in Timmy that we knew he possessed, but required the challenges of teaching the wee little ones to become evident. Timmy was one of those blessed souls who had a passion for work; he went to work not because he had to, but because he simply loved it, and Lord was that obvious.
The sight of Timmy, his teachers and elementary school children walking up to meet Sunderland area farmers showed that one of Timmy’s goals was to reach out to the local community. The sight of Timmy dressed up like Doctor Seuss though,….well, I and others are scarred for life. No seriously, this demonstrated his level of commitment to become deeply involved with his elementary kids and staff.
Over the years he was at Sunderland, I had the great pleasure to visit on occasion. I would engage his wonderful gatekeepers Secretary Erika and Nurse Jeanie to surprise him with a little prank. I have an image of Timmy in his ever present suit coat, his khaki pants and a Motorola radio up to his face. He would be out on the school circle directing the bus pickup of his beloved students in the afternoon. He reminded me of the principal in that fantastic movie Ferris Buehler’s Day Off. But unlike that principal, Timmy was simply adored and admired. If you have been to the school this week, you will see the sidewalk adorned in chalk with touching messages from his students, written as only a little child could do. The school marquee reads, “He loved each KID, every day. Thank you Principal Tim.
Another group that Timmy strongly connected with are veterans and active duty service personnel. Upon his arrival at Sunderland, he initiated a local Veterans Day service in the town center. He made a point of engaging his students and staff in stressing the importance of service to country. I would like to read two short summaries from two Army officers currently deployed to Afghanistan.
Major Timmy Rose, a longtime friend of Timmy’s nephews Cy and Sean, is on his third combat tour. Major Rose wrote from Kandahar, Afghanistan, “I always felt like Uncle Timmy took in all of us non-Merritt’s as his own nephews.”
Timmy’s nephew Captain Sean Merritt, who deployed to a war zone for a fourth time yesterday, wrote “There are many in this life who know the bond between brothers, but few have experienced kinship or the bond that we had with Uncle Timmy. He was our uncle, but he was our brother first. His coolness transcended generations.”
Timmy was passionate about music, and his musical tastes varied. He not only collected music but also played several instruments and wrote music. Late nights during holidays consisted of sing-alongs with Uncle Timmy singing Neil Young, Beatles and other songs. He carried that love to Frontier and Sunderland schools, and renamed the cafeteria there to Café Sun. He started a talent show there as well.
Speaking of music, picture this scene. One of Tim’s best friend was former combat Marine, now Principal Andrew of Smith Academy. Timmy would pick Andrew up in his very sporty Honda Odyssey van….right…..Andrew described Timmy as appearing to be Capt James Kirk on the bridge of the Starship Entrerprise with all his instruments and dials. The singer Rihanna was playing, and Andrew leaned over to change the song. Timmy said, “Dude, hold up, that’s an album I’m listening to…..he also adored Beyonce.
To all Timmy’s nieces and nephews, we know each of you had a very special relationship with him and we remain thankful for those.
To our parents Major Cy and Barbara Merritt…you raised a wonderful son. You can be proud.
In conclusion, I want to thank God for the opportunity Timmy was given in his life to make such a wonderful and powerful impact on the lives of students and staff.
I thank God Timmy had the opportunity later in his life to help nurture and raise these wonderful twins Taro and Kai.
I am thankful for his amazing wit, his charm and his awesome zest for life.
Son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, husband, teacher, father, principal and friend. You are all these and more.
Timmy, you pulled another of your famous Irish exits but we remain Boston Strong.
See you on the other side bro.
