In 1945 World War II was finally starting to come to a close, President Franklin Roosevelt died, and the cost to buy a car was around $500. Also, in 1945, a young lady by the name of Louise Merritt graduated from Poplar Springs High School. 80 years later on Saturday, January 25, Ms. Merritt made her way across the Poplar Springs gym being recognized at her 80th class reunion.
A beautiful 97-year-young, Ms. Merritt still enjoys the simple things of life. When asked what her secret was, she laughed commenting, “A lot of people have asked me that and I really don’t have a secret. I have worked hard all my life and I think being active has a lot to do with it.” Living next to her daughter, Ms. Merritt still lives alone and maintains a fairly active lifestyle including gardening with her mentioning that she doesn’t cut grass anymore, her daughter had taken that over in recent years. Holmes County School Board member Leesa Lee commented at the alumni recognition to Ms. Merritt, “I hope when I grow up, I can be like you.”
Ms. Merritt spoke briefly about her years at Poplar Springs commenting that they only had a dirt floor to play basketball as the property had no gym. She continued, “We also didn’t have all these days off… we didn’t have Spring Break and all that stuff.”
After graduating Ms. Merritt would leave Graceville with her husband who was in the military.
They would later return and own a dairy farm for several years. She then went to work at Vanity Fair until the sewing factory shut down. She then worked in Hartford before retiring.
Her grandson Kit Singletary wrote on Facebook about Ms. Merritt attending her 80th high school reunion writing, “In 1945 we realized that microwaves could heat food. The first electronic calculator was invented, and oral penicillin was developed. The US population was 139.9 million. The term Cat’s Meow was brand new and Grandma [Merritt], now age 97, was only 17. I’d say she and the microwave have fared well!”
Photo Caption: A family of Atomics, Ms. Louise Merritt celebrated her 80th reunion while her fellow family members (from left) Estal Mattox celebrated his 50th, Betty Sue Taylor celebrated her 60th reunion, and Hudson Mattox will be graduating from PSHS in May. Photo by Mattox Studios
To Subscribe To The Graceville News Visit Pricing Plans.