Marianne Merritt

Miranne Womack Merritt aged 80, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully surrounded by family members on June 3rd, 2025 in Pasadena, Texas.

Miranne or “Mira” was born July 13th, 1944 in Gorman, Eastland Co, Texas to Rachel Flora Womack nee Ham and Robert Peoples Womack. Her younger years were spent in Stephenville, Texas before the family moved to the Houston area during her childhood.

Mira’s formative years were spent on the farm where there was no electricity, and they grew their own food. They grew almost all of their own food, raising chicken and pigs, supplemented with fish from the Colorado and Paluxy Rivers. They grew fruit trees, primarily peaches with pears, plums, and apples. They also grew pecan trees and peanuts. Mira in those younger days of her life were spent learning the farm and the love of exploring the surrounding countryside.

Mira graduated Magna Cum Laude from Jesse H. Jones Senior High School in Houston, Texas in 1962. She also married John Neal Merritt on 12/24/1961. To this union two daughters were born, Margaret Merritt Monthei and Lara Merritt Phillips.

Mira attended an RN program at Hermann but dropped out to work at Methodist Hospital in the radiotherapy department for two years before becoming a medical dosimetrist at MD Anderson Hospital in 1970. In 1978, she attended The University of Houston studying Geology and Geoscience, which she graduated with a Bachelor’s in 1982 Magna Cum Laude. She then went on to graduate school and worked for the geology department as a teacher in the lab for freshmen students. During the summer she assisted with summer mapping classes in New Mexico. In 1983 she worked for a limited time with an oil and gas company while completing her master’s degree.

Shortly after obtaining her master’s degree, the oil market boom crashed and Mira decided to attend The University of Texas, School of Public Health, majoring in Environmental Science. She graduated with a master’s degree in Environmental Science in 1991 and then accepted a position at Lyondell-Citgo Refining Company at the Houston Refinery on the Houston Ship Channel. She retired as a senior engineer in 2003.

During her lifetime, Mira not only raised her two children and had successful careers but also loved the outdoors. She was an avid gardener, hiker, kayaker and later bird watcher. She also started running and ran a few marathons. In her retirement she travelled to follow bird migrations. She also volunteered her time at many parks, her favorite Brazos Bend State Park. She was a Certified Texas Master Naturalist with the Galveston Bay Area Chapter.

She was also a member of the Sam Houston Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

Later in life Mira developed Parkinson’s but that didn’t stop her from loving life and never giving up. She enjoyed being active and everyday Mira would ride her tricycle to keep up her strength. She stayed active and involved with her family and volunteer work.

Whatever Mira set her mind too, she accomplished it. Her fortitude and perseverance in the face of great odds is one of her greatest legacies along with being a devoted mother and grandmother.

Mira is predeceased by her parents, her brother David Womack, her sister Margaret Wood, her ex-husband John Neal Merritt, her son-in-law Robert Phillips. She is survived by her sister Mary Mann, Angie Ames, daughters Margaret Merritt Monthei and Lara Merritt Phillips, grandchildren Sarah Finchum, Helena MacKay and Stephen Hughey.

Graveside services will be June 7th at noon at the Johnson Cemetery in Stephenville, Texas.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date.