PAUL M. MERRIMAN

1927-2017

Paul was born in Pittsburgh, PA on April 11, 1927, died on June 3, 2017. Paul was predeceased by wife, Patricia, his wonderful wife for 58 years, his parents, Albertine Dor and Glen D. Merriman, and his sisters Madeleine White and Helen Bummer of Pittsburgh, PA.

Paul is survived by his seven children; Patience Merriman and husband Mark, Jane Wilson and husband David, Paula Travis and husband Bruce, Laura Merriman, Carol Lester and husband Terry, Paul M. Merriman Jr. and wife Anne, and Glen Merriman and wife Sheri. Also survived by his sister Mary Louise Fitzgerald and grandchildren Colin Fahey, Chris Fahey and wife Margaret, Sean Wilson and wife Erin, Rhett Travis and wife Heidi, Sarah Drake and husband Stephen, Mary Bauer and husband David, Natalie Lester, and Teresa Lester and fiancé Sam Zappa, and Michelle and Jennifer Merriman and several great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Paul joined the United States Marine Corps at age 17 and proudly served his country in WWII as an infantry rifleman with the Twenty-Eighth Marine Regiment who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Paul was wounded in combat there and received the Purple Heart.

After WWII, he worked at General Electric Company then moved with his family to Houston in 1970 to purchase HISCO, an industrial supply company. He helped to build it to its present size and retired in 1998, turning the company over to the 240 employees/owners with a very successful Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Paul would like to be remembered as an active and cheerful man. He was a ham radio operator W5SKM, runner of 13 marathons, jogger/ walker who covered 51,789 miles, Shade Tree Mechanic, persevering gardener, WWII speaker, and slow learning piano player. We’ll miss him, and his contributions from “The Greatest Generation”.

Honorary pallbearers from HISCO are: Gina Huffman, Cindy Morrison, Skip Skonnard, Rick Cartier, Paul Gill, and Bob Dill. Visitation will be on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Earthman Funeral Directors, 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 10:30 am at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road, Houston, TX. Friends are invited to reception after funeral mass in the Parish Life Center.

No flowers please, but prayers gratefully accepted.

Interment will be later at Houston National Veterans Cemetery where he will join wife Pat, in a private ceremony.