Annette Merritt: 93-year-old friend with a story

My tagline is “All of us have a story” and sometimes we may know someone most of our lives, and don’t know theirs, as I found out on a recent visit with lifelong friend, Annette Merritt.

Annette is going to be 94 on November 4 and I have been blessed with her friendship for most of my adult life. We have shared the same church family, her sweet husband teaching my youngest in Sunday school class and Annette’s sweet countenance setting the example of grace and welcome for all around her.

On a recent visit, I learned a life story that reflects a resilience and determination that belies her physical presence. Her demeanor is soft-spoken, yet there is an undeniable strength in her posture and a spark of determination in her eyes, reflecting resilience and a depth of experience. I learned some of where that originated.

Annette was born to parents in Union County, who both graduated from LMU as teachers. Her mother had to ride a boat across Norris Lake before the dam was built and live in an apartment to teach school there. Her father had to give up teaching in order to keep up the family farm on Hickory Valley Road.

It wasn’t too long into the marriage that Mom left teaching to begin raising children on the farm with Annette’s father: 11 children of which Annette was number seven. Today, there are two siblings alive: sister Juanita lives on Villa Road and her youngest brother still lives on Hickory Valley Road.

Her dad, Willie Myers, became good friends with Cecil Butcher who asked him to be principal and teacher of the one room schoolhouse on Hickory Valley Road.

The conversation is remembered:

Cecil Butcher: “I need you to be principal and teacher of the one-room school on Hickory Valley Road or it will close, and those kids won’t have a school.”

Annette’s dad, Willie Morgan Myers: “Well, I guess so, then, I will do it.”

Annette never attended that school as she was too old. Her three siblings did. Annette was riding the bus to Horace Maynard High School after she milked the cows on the farm. She graduated from HMHS.

Annette earned her teaching degree and began teaching high school general science in Avon Park, Florida, where a brother lived, who was also in education and who eventually became superintendent of schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

After two years, Annette decided to move home so she resigned and came back to Knoxville to begin looking for a job. The superintendent here told her she was too little to teach in high school giving her what she called, “the once over, looking me over head to toe.” Annette responded, “Sign me up for 5th grade, then.” He did and she taught in various positions for 57 years, ending her career at Fountain City Elementary School.

I mentioned her sweet husband, Max, teaching my youngest Sunday School.

Annette met Max at the University of Tennessee as they were both earning master’s degrees. The two eventually married in 1954. He built the Halls home she still lives in today with a fern she grew from a cutting she took from her mother-in-law just after she and Max were married. Do the math. The fern is over 70 years old, and she has never fertilized it. Now that’s a green thumb.

Annette and Max have two children: Amy and Bryan. Amy’s daughter, Adrienne, also caught the education bug and is working at Sterchi Elementary School in second grade.

Annette’s combination of softness and strength make her an inspiring presence, proving that toughness can exist beneath the most demur exterior and may hold a fascinating untold story.

A warning to anyone who visits however: take the snack! Just try to not take a snack when she has planned a treat for guests. She will insist on a choice of sodas, a choice of crackers and an insistent Snickers bar. Maybe even a cutting of Wandering Jew from her front porch. Don’t clip it yourself, though. She will be insistent to clip it for you.

All of us have a story and I want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com.