S. Walker Merrill, Jr. ’50 died on March 7, 2021, in Westwood, Massachusetts. 

(The following was published by the Boston Globe on March 11, 2021)

S. Walker Merrill, Jr. of Westwood and Menauhant, MA, died peacefully on Sunday, March 7, 2021 surrounded by his family in his 94th year. He leaves his beloved wife of 18 years, Mary Lee (Fauver) Merrill, and was predeceased by his first wife Polly Newhall Merrill, with whom he had three children. Walker was born in Newton, MA, to Stanley W. Merrill and Muriel (Dowley) Merrill. Immediately upon graduation from Newton High School, he joined and served honorably in the United States Army with the 43rd Division in the Philippines and was among the first troops to land in Yokohama, Japan, at the conclusion of the war. Following his return, he attended Bowdoin College and was a member of the DKE fraternity before graduating with the Class of 1950. As Walk would say, “You’ve got to be somewhere,” and he was called back for the Korean War. A stroke of luck sent him instead to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, where the dashing crew-cut blonde made recruiting films for the Army. Later he graduated from the Stonier School of Banking at Rutgers University. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Walker spent his entire 40-year career with State Street Bank in Boston. He retired as Senior Vice President, overseeing the Personal Trust Department. Walk spent many years on the Board of the Forsyth Dental School in Boston. He was also a Director of the Dead River Company in Portland, ME. Walker was a proud Eagle Scout. His 7-year-old daughter Laurie – perhaps even more proud – brought his badges to Show and Tell, proclaiming that her father was an “Evil” Scout. He was also a camp counselor for many years at Camp Quinapoxet in Rindge, NH. Until his passing, he lit up every room with his smile and roaring laugh. He never tired of telling the same corny jokes which always brought down the house and were fueled by epic multi-olive martinis. Summers were spent in his cottage in Menauhant on Cape Cod from the early 50’s with Polly and the kids. He served as commodore of the Menauhant Yacht Club from 1975 to 1976, and enjoyed fishing, tennis, sailing, growing gorgeous tom-AH-toes, and early morning walks to the big beach for a swim with his pals Sam, Kingsley, Fred, and Bill followed by an ice-cold B-I-E-R. He was famous for his beach plum jelly, scalloping (of course), and the envy of town for his stuffed quahogs (secret recipe). Walker retired to Dataw Island, SC, spending 30 winters fishing, boating, playing tennis, golf, croquet and gathering pecans. Walker is survived by his wife Mary Lee Merrill of Westwood, MA. His daughter Laurie Merrill Annicelli and her husband Peter of Menauhant, MA. His son Stanley W. (Lee) Merrill, III of Beverly, MA and a son Geoffrey C. Merrill and his wife Sharyn of Washington, D.C. His six grandchildren include Lauren Annicelli Bennitt (Ian), Whit Annicelli, Sarah Annicelli, Melissa Merrill Joseph (Dan), Joe Merrill and Jake Merrill. His great-grandchildren William Walker Bennitt and Louisa Campbell Bennitt eagerly await the birth of Walk’s third great-grandchild to Dan and Melissa Joseph of Pittsburgh, PA.