Mr. Clair J. Merritt, age 89, of Tyrone and a guest at Golden Living Community – Hillview, Altoona, died Friday, April 5, 2013 . He was born July 19, 1923 in Osceola Mills, the son of Jesse and Ruby Kephart Merritt. On July 29, 1950 at Ashland he was married to Betty Jean Maney who preceded him in death in 2001. He is survived by three children – Darl of Tyrone, Alan (Vanessa) of Locust Grove, GA and Tina (Charles) Zimmerman of Tyrone and seven grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son Layne C. Merritt and a daughter-in-law Louise Corles Merritt. He was the last of him immediate family having been preceded by two sisters – Annabell Hicks and Theresa Clancy and a brother Darrell.

Mr. Merritt had been employed for 18 years as a welder at the Pennsylvania State University, retiring in 1985. He served with the U.S. Navy with the Sea Bees during World War II. He was a member of the Bald Eagle Christian Missionary Alliance Church. He was a member of Howard Gardner Post #281 American Legion and was active in the Blair County Senior Center. He greatly loved and spoiled his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral service for Clair J. Merritt will be Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 11 AM at the Richard H. Searer Funeral Home Inc. with Reverend David Z. Lewis Jr. officiating. Interment with Military Honors by the Tyrone Honor Guard will be in Bald Eagle Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday from 5 to 8 PM and on Tuesday from 10 AM until the 11 AM funeral service.