August 11, 2012. Western Head, NS. Familiar Family.

My brother Dave and sister in law Irene went to visit their friend Bob Merritt in the hospital.   Bob was a fellow trombone player so Dave and Bob have been friends a long time. I do not known Bob well but I have known the Merritt family all my life.  Bob's father and uncles were all friends of my parents.  In an organization such as The Salvation Army, some families are major players and the Merritt's were one of those families.   My parents always spoke well of the Merritt family.

On the bathroom wall in Nova Scotia is a picture of Colonel Jim Merritt, in the official picture  officiating at my parent's wedding.   I believe he was the principal of the Training College in Winnipeg, where my parents met.   He also wrote the marches The Canadian and the Golden West.    In the 20's and 30's, Henry Merritt, a brother,  was the Bandmaster of the Winnipeg Citadel Corps during the time my parents lived in Winnipeg.

When my parents were stationed to the Toronto Dovercourt Corps in 1935, Bill, another brother,  was the Bandmaster.  Percy, the father of Bob, was the assistant Bandmaster and also the Divisional Bandmaster.    All these Merritt's were life long friends of my parents, so I had heard their name all my life.  It is a name from my youth.