Melody B. James Merritt

DR. MELODY B. JAMES MERRITT CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Dr. Melody B. James Merritt, 60, of Cedar Rapids, died on Monday, May 6, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2013, at St. Mathias Church, 215 West Eighth Street, Muscatine. The Reverend Jason Crossen of the Ss. Mary and Mathias Parish will officiate. Honorary bearers will be Donna Offerman, Brenda Borden, Gail Vanden Berg, Laryl Vanden Berg, Carla Hucke, Vicki Elliott, Joy McKillip, and Penny Burns. Casket bearers will be Mike Townsley, Jim Nepple, Mack Offerman, David Paul, Brett Bohlken, Zephyr Borden, David Offerman, and Gary Burns. Burial will be in Muscatine Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 2013, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home, 1931 Houser Street, Muscatine. Memorials may be made to the family in care of Harlie Merritt for a later designated memorial. Melody was born on January 26, 1953, in Muscatine, the daughter of Ernest E. and Elizabeth Townsley James. She was a graduate of Muscatine High School, class of 1971. She graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College with her Bachelor's Degr...[more]

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in 1975. She obtained her Master's Degree from the University of Iowa in 1977 and graduated from the College of Osteopathic Medicine with her Doctorate in 1981. She had her own Osteopathic practices where she specialized in Family Practice and Emergency Room Medicine. She was a writer and published poetry pieces. She had a goal of writing the ultimate horror story and children's books. She was a world traveler, and a fan of the Yankees, Boston Celtics, and Pittsburg Penguins. She enjoyed watching Dr. Phil. She loved music, especially Neil Diamond and Mozart. Melody enjoyed reading and converted to the Catholic faith in the early 70's. Those left to honor her memory include two sons, Harlie James Merritt and special friend, Whitney Doolin, of Cedar Rapids and Bradley Robert Merritt and wife, Nicole, of West Des Moines; one brother, Gary James and wife, Sue, of Glendale, Arizona; and one sister, Lynne Paul and husband, Donald, of Muscatine. She was preceded in death by one daughter in infancy, Audra Beth Merritt, and her parents.