Merrell Shutt Grant, long time English teacher at Lincoln High School, Lincoln, Nebraska, passed away at age 94 on September 1, 2020, in Sun City, Arizona. Merrell graduated from Lincoln High School in 1943 and returned there in 1957 to teach for the next 29 years, chairing the English Department during the final decade of her career. In addition to teaching, she was a curriculum developer and writer for the University of Nebraska’s Educational Extension Division and ETV.
Merrell received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska. As an undergraduate student at UNL she was the first female Editor-in-Chief for the 1947 Cornhusker Yearbook which received the Columbia All-American Journalism award. She was also a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, as well as Mortar Board and Pi Lambda Theta honoraries. She was married to Donald Grant for 12 years, having two sons during their marriage.
Merrell retired from teaching and moved to Sun City in 1987. There she met her long-term partner Harry Braymes, living with him until his passing in 1995. While retired and living in Sun City, she maintained connection to her sorority and was active across the years in the Sun City China Painting Club, the Recreation Center Entertainment Committee, and the Handicapable, Bridge and Nebraska clubs.
She is survived by her sons Roger, Lincoln, NE, and David, Bellingham, WA; daughters-in-Law Linda and Nancy; grandchildren Alexander, Daniel, Sean and Courtney, and greatgrandchild Harrison. She was born in Diller, Nebraska, and has been laid to rest at Sunland Memorial Park, Sun City, AZ.
When Merrell retired from teaching she paraphrased Thoreau, remarking she was “leaving the woods because she had other lives to live and no more time for this one and these lives, and she’d like to see and experience her new ones.” She certainly fulfilled that promise to herself. She had a life well lived.
No services will be held due to COVID-19. No memorials or donations are sought; cards or letters to family only, as desired, care of Roger Grant at 5120 LaSalle, Lincoln, NE 68516.
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