George H. Merriam

WORCESTER/STERLING - George Henry Merriam, born in Waterville, Maine on May 17, 1922, died at home in Worcester, Massachusetts on October 15, 2010. Son of George Merriam and Edith Gardner, he grew up in Worcester, attending Worcester public schools and graduating from South High School in 1940. He resided most of his life in Worcester County, living in the house he built in Sterling for 47 years and in Worcester for 30. He also lived in various towns in Maine, including Hinckley, Millinocket and Thomaston.

He married Alice May Price of Portland, Maine, in April of 1943. She survives him, as do his children: Gardner Price Merriam and his wife Deborah Young of New Haven, VT, and his daughter, Louise Alice Merriam and her husband James Oberly of Minneapolis MN. He is also survived by his brother, Bernard Gardner and five grandsons: Nicholas Oberly, Dylan Merriam and his wife Becca Stelfox, Mason Merriam, William Oberly and Peter Oberly as well as by several cousins, nieces and close friends. His parents and his stepfather, Ray Tobey, of Fairfield, Maine, predeceased him.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in April, 1943 and was stationed in Italy and Trinidad from February 1944 to July 1945. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant in October 1945.

He received a bachelor's degree from Clark University in 1944, a master's degree from Brown University in 1947 and a doctorate from Clark University in 1961 – all in history. A dedicated teacher, he taught at several high schools and colleges in Maine, including Bates College, Aroostook State College and Gorham State College. He served as Director of Admissions and Lecturer in history at Clark University in Worcester from 1952 to 1964, and as Academic Dean and Professor of History at Fitchburg State College from 1965 to 1988. During his academic career he touched the lives of hundreds of students, many of whom might not have pursued higher education and professional careers without his encouragement. During his years in Sterling, he served on several town committees related to education.

In addition to his academic training, he developed a deep knowledge of industrial and railroad history and published several articles on Maine's railroads in journals such as Railroad History and the Maine Historical Society Quarterly. He knew the city of Worcester, its factories and its railroad lines intimately and one of his hobbies was hiking the abandoned railroad beds of Worcester County. He frequently took his children and grandchildren on impromptu tours of mills and factories throughout New England, just for the sheer joy of learning how things worked.

A memorial service in his honor will be held on Saturday, November 6, at 1:00 PM in the Community Room at Briarwood Continuing Care Community, 65 Briarwood Circle, Worcester. In lieu of flowers, contributions in George's honor may be made to the Clark University Alumni Fund, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610; the Briarwood Residents' Association, 65 Briarwood Circle, Worcester, MA 01606; or the Fitchburg State University Foundation, General Scholarship Fund, 160 Pearl Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden.

Website & Guest book: www.milesfuneralhome.com