John Lawrence Merritt

John Lawrence Merritt was born at Emory University Hospital and raised in Cumming, Forsyth County, GA. He loved the outdoors, enjoyed hunting, fishing and trapping as a child. He joined the boy Scouts of America when he was 12 years old and enjoyed camping and swimming up to graduation from high school. He was a member of troop 39. He attended the Boy Scout National Jamboree at Irvine Ranch, California in 1953, traveling by train with other members of the Northeast Georgia Council. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow. In his senior year of high school, he was selected for the lead role for his high school play, "So This Is Bliss". Upon graduation, he traveled with his class to New York City and Washington, D.C. under the patronage of Representative Phil Landrum. Johnny, as he was most often called, attended Piedmont College and was president of the Protropean Society, The Inter-Club Council, and the Canterbury Club. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and was awarded the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and went to Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He qualified as a weapons Controller and was later awarded the designation as a Skilled Weapons Controller at Custer Air Force Station in Battle Creek, Michigan. He was later assigned to Da Nang AB, Viet Nam. There he was also a Weapons Controller guiding military aircraft on missions in South Viet Nam. At the end of his tour, he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Metal. He returned to Custer Air Force Station where he was an instructor Weapons Controller. He received the "Griffin" Award for the outstanding Weapons Controller in the 34th Air Division, in 1968. After active duty, he attended The Mercer University School of Law and was on the Moot Court Team. He received a Juris Doctorate from Mercer University and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University. He was in the Georgia Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. He served a total of 28 years either on active duty or as a member of the Air National Guard or the United States Air Force Reserve. Upon graduation from law school, he became an associate at Hansell, Post, Brandon and Dorsey in Atlanta, GA. He received his second Air Force Commendation while in the Air Force National Guard and the Meritorious Service Medal in the Air Force Reserve. He also received the Vietnam Service Medal and was awarded the Senior Weapons Controller Award and the Combat Crew Badge. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was partner in the firm of Lipscomb, Johnson, Merritt and Gualt in Cumming, GA and later served 20 years as a civilian attorney in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Robbins Air Force Base, GA. He was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Award upon retirement. He taught economics at Georgia Military College and Macon College and State University. He was a certified Georgia public school teacher in the fields of History, English, and Geography, Business Education and Economics. He was active in the Republican Party for many years, and attended county, district, and state conventions as a delegate. He was selected as an alternate delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL. He was a member of the Church of the Holy Spirit, the State Bar of Georgia, the Bell-Forsyth Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Forsyth County Historical Society, the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club and the Atlanta Ski Club. Johnny is preceded in death by his parents, J.V. and Winnie Seabolt Merritt. He is survived by his cousins, Patricia Kirby Fries of Kennesaw, Terry Lynn Kirby Ramsdale of Arizona, Donna Jo Pearson Campbell of Texas, Emory Lipscomb of Cumming; cousin-in-law, Virginia Kirby of FL; special friends, Conrad and Pat Richards of Lawrenceville. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Ingram Funeral Home with Rev. Keith Oglesby and Rev. Gerald Blackburn officiating. Interment will follow at Cumming City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 6 to 8 and Wednesday from 9 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory, Cumming, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. Visitation DetailsTuesday, March 12th, 2013, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Ingram Funeral Home Wednesday, March 13th, 2013, 9:00am - 11:00am, Ingram Funeral Home Service DetailsWednesday, March 13th, 2013, 11:00am, Ingram Funeral Home Interment DetailsCity of Cumming Cemetery