[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9816-9817]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  IN MEMORY OF HORACE SELLERS MERRILL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 23, 2017

  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention 
to recognize the life of Mr. Horace Sellers Merrill of Heflin, Alabama. 
Mr. Merrill passed away on February 17, 2017 at the age of 80.
  Horace was born on October 15, 1936 in Micaville to Emory Joseph and 
Grace Allen Merrill. He graduated from Cleburne County High School in 
1954 lettering in baseball and football. He attended Southern Union 
Junior College in Wadley, Alabama on an athletic scholarship until an 
automobile accident ended his athletic career in 1957.
  Horace started work at Dixie Mines Mica Mining Company and married 
Mary Inez Thompson of Anniston, Alabama on June 1, 1963.
  Mr. Merrill always held a strong interest in politics. In 1964, he 
was elected Circuit Clerk of Cleburne County and served for 12 years. 
During this time, he participated in the Lions Club, Jaycees and 
Athletic Boosters Club and was president of each. He also assisted in 
the organization of the first youth baseball program in Heflin, where 
he officiated and coached in the 1960s and 1970s and was the

[[Page 9817]]

public address announcer for Little League Football and junior high 
football games.
  After completing two terms as Circuit Clerk, he was elected Probate 
Judge and Chairman of the Cleburne County Commission in 1976, a 
position he held for one six-year term. While serving as Probate Judge, 
he led the effort to purchase land and develop plans for the 
construction of the State of Alabama Welcome Center and Rest Area on I-
20. He had a vision for a county-wide water system to service all 
citizens of Cleburne County through the Dyne Creek Watershed project 
that was supported by Congressman Bill Nichols and Senator Howell 
Heflin that he was not able to complete before the end of this term.
  Mr. Merrill was an active participant in the Cleburne Baptist 
Association, and served as an officer and pastor of several churches. 
His pastorates included Happy Hill, Cedar Creek, Pinetucky (Interim), 
Chulafinnee and Edwardsville Baptist Churches. As a member of Heflin 
Baptist for over 50 years, Mr. Merrill served as a Deacon, Sunday 
School Superintendent, Sunday School Teacher, Church Training Director 
and Sanctuary Choir member.
  Horace and Mary enjoyed 53 years of marriage and were blessed with 
two children and four grandchildren: Alabama Secretary of State John 
Harold Merrill (Cindy) and Audrey Merrill Gillis (Stephen), Pelham 
Brooks Merrill, Alexandra Grace Merrill, Mary Kathryn Gillis and Sarah 
Sellers Gillis.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Horace 
Merrill. He will be greatly missed.

                          ____________________