Charles Merriott

Charles Wain JC Merriott was born July 11, 1933 to Charles and Floy Merriott in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was the youngest of three boys. The nickname came about because his mother wanted to name him Jess Charles, but his dad named him on the birth certificate before she could. His mom proceeded to call him JC and the name stuck. The family moved to Stilwell and JC graduated from Cave Springs High School in 1951. A year later, in 1952, he married his sweetheart, Violet Faye Gore, and they started their life together. JC was drafted into the US Army in 1956. He did his basic training at Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs, Colorado and then was sent overseas to Germany. He enjoyed many years of entertaining his friends and family with stories of his adventures in the Army. He became an MP and left the Army as Sergeant. Some of our favorites include his stories about Charlie, C Companys young lion mascot, his story of being accused of being a spy because of his name discrepancy, and many, many Military Police Stories. In 1958, he was honorably discharged from the Army and came home to Violet. They bought his grandfathers farm in eastern Adair County where they lived their entire married life of 55 years. They had two children, Judy and Jess. For years, he worked his family laundry, his farm, and raised cattle. He was also a licensed electrician. He was active in the local cattlemans association and the TriCommunity Fire Department. He raised his family in Rock Springs Baptist Church where he was a faithful member. When something needed doing at the church, he was there to lend a helping hand. He and Violet loved and enjoyed their grandchildren and often took them on their annual camping vacations. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Floy Merriott, his brothers, Eugene and Cecil Ray Merriott, and his wife, Violet. He is survived by his daughter, Judy Williams and her husband Lanny of Tahlequah, Oklahoma his son, Jess C. Merriott, and his wife, Michelle of Stilwell his granddaughter, Valerie McDaniel, and husband Clayton of Gentry, Arkansas his grandson, Matthew Merriott of McAlester, OK and his grandson, Daniel Merriott and wife, Callie of Norman, OK. He will be missed by a host of friends and family. Funeral services were held, Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in the RobertsReedCulver Funeral Chapel with Bro. Leo Allard officiating. Interment followed in the Chalk Bluff Cemetery under the direction of RobertsReedCulver Funeral Home.